Halo: Wolf Legacy
by Criosd Pherein
Summary: The 3rd book in the popular Halo:Wolf series continues for Mike-B312, Noble 6. Mars has fallen and the battle for Earth is under way so Mike and his Spartan III team, the Wolf Pack, join the desperate fight to save humanity. Yet for Mike this isn't the only battle he faces as his relationship with the volatile Natalia Misriah deepens and complications arise from unexpected areas.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**November 11, 2552, 1520 Hours, New Harmony Spaceport, planet Mars**

"We need to go, gunny," the pilot called out urgently from the cockpit of the bulky transport craft waiting in the docking bay.

"Has the situation changed from when ye asked me ten minutes ago?" the ODST gunnery sergeant declared in a thick Scottish brogue.

"Well, no," the pilot confessed, "but the Covenant could swoop down on us any second."

"No one is going to 'swoop' down on us. We have top cover an ye have sensors," the senior NCO declared, pointing to the pair of Longsword Starfighters flying lazy circles above and to the Halcyon-class light cruiser above that.

"But what if they've run out of fuel and crashed somewhere?" the exasperated pilot shot back, on the edge of panic.

"Then they would have called to let us know." Gunnery Sergeant Hank MacGregor's dark eyes blazed, "And no one be leaving this dock until then, got me?

To emphasize the point a pair of ODSTs from the Wolverine squad moved to the cockpit area to lend their 'encouragement'.

Hank MacGregor was not about to leave before Spartan Mike B-312 and his team returned. The stocky NCO who was built like a tank and who'd lost his left hand at the battle of Reach had initially accepted the training position with the newly forming Spartan team only weeks earlier as something to keep him busy until he could be reassigned to a combat unit. Like most of his fellow ODSTs he has no love of the Spartan III's. He had no issue with the II's, he'd fought with several and knew their worth but their more mass-produced counterparts he didn't see. To him and the other Hell Jumpers they were a publicity stunt to rally support for the war and the result was less prestige and therefore less funding for the elite Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Corp who'd carried the brunt of the war since it had begun.

He'd been tasked to serve on Lt. Commander Mike Nantz, Mike-B312, the legendary Lone Wolf of Noble Team fame. The Spartan's reputation was well-earned and the pair had hit it off right away but he'd been less thrilled with the others. But once the new team that had been given the nearly-impossible task of replacing Noble he'd begun to not only warm to them but develop a fatherly affection for the teens of the newly minted 'Wolf Pack'.

When Mike had declared his intent of staying behind during the evacuation of Mars after the planet's defenses had collapsed to try to rescue Natalia Misriah, the daughter of billionaire military industrialist Spanner Misriah and a woman who'd captured the Spartan's heart, his team volunteered to stay back and go with him to get her. Without a second thought MacGregor and his Wolverines had done the same thing. Against seemingly impossible odds Mike and his team had rescued the woman and were now enroute to the spaceport.

No, no one was leaving until they returned.

New Harmony was quiet, having been fully evacuated earlier in the day. The UNSC forces had formed a cordon for military and civilian personnel to fall back to the capital city and be evacuated off planet. This was supported by the full remnant of the planet's space fleet. Fortunately the Covenant had seemed uninterested in the evacuation so had put up only token resistance. So now the city was eerily quiet, quiet enough that the sound of an approaching ship could be heard.

"Gunny, Pelican inbound at three o'clock," one the ODSTs on overwatch called out.

All eyes turned in that direction to see the welcome sight of a Pelican drop ship flying towards them. Mike and his team had made it.

"Now ye can get ready," MacGregor told the pilot as the rest of his team cheered.

For Mike-B312 just reaching the city had been a miracle for him, the idea a transport would be there still since they were many hours overdue was something he couldn't even hope for. He knew at some point his luck would run out.

But it appeared it wasn't going to be today.

When he'd determined to risk it all to try to rescue Natalia he never knew what he was getting in to. He'd found her location after she'd been captured by the Covenant at the same time as the evacuation order had been given to quit Mars. Defying a direct order to leave he was prepared to go it alone when his Spartan team, the Wolf Pack, his friend Mel-B252 and even the pilot flying the Pelican all did the same thing and risk their lives not for the woman but for him.

An idea, or more of a thought, had been gnawing at him like termites in wood. For years he'd been the Lone Wolf, a Spartan III killing machine. But then he'd been assigned to Noble Team on Reach and now he had a new team he'd picked, trained and went into combat with. They were a team, they were family and he meant something not only to the woman he'd fallen for but also to these comrades in arms. They'd defied the odds, snuck into the Covenant base at Tricode Village in the Mare Erythraeum province, rescued Natalia and got out. Most were banged and bruised and Adam, his 2ic, was seriously wounded, but all were alive to tell the tale. But the question that had been on his mind since they'd escaped was: was it all worth it if they don't get out?

Coming into view of the New Harmony Spaceport Mike's heart leapt at the sight of a lone transport still on the dock and a group of armor-clad ODSTs ringing it. Steam was coming out of the thrusters showing it was spooling up to leave but it was still there. Despite being overdue by nearly three hours they were still there.

"Guys," Mike called over the comms, "there's still a ship in dock. We're going to get out of here!"

The whoop from the back heard despite the roar of the Pelican's engine as it flared to land told him the message had been received loud and clear.

Minutes later the passengers of the dropship moved towards the transport whose engines were coming to life to take off. Waiting for them was Gunny MacGregor and several of the Wolverines.

"You're late," the ODST NCO deadpanned.

"Yea, sorry gunny," Mike answered, avoiding eye contact, touched anew by what had happened.

"Better late than never lad," MacGregor declared reaching out to shake his hand. Then seeing Natalia who had tears in her eyes and a smile that lit up the pad added, "Good to see you again lass."

Natalia was overcome by the moment as the reality sunk in. She went to the grizzled combat veteran and gave him a crushing hug. "Thank you!"

"All right then, me lass," MacGregor responded to the gesture in embarrassment. "On the transport with ye." Then turning to Mike added, "We had to threaten to shoot the pilot," he said with a shrug, "but after your pilot radioed you were on your way, it wasn't such a bad wait, was it lads?"

"Aye aye," the other ODSTs from the Wolverines responded genuinely.

"Thanks gunny," was all Mike could get out, fearing he'd lose control of his emotions, overwhelmed anew by the scene.

"Ach," MacGregor spat back, embarrassed by his own emotions. "Let's get off this rock."

The transport ship with a frigate as escort broke out of orbit with no trouble. The Covenant had no cordon of any organized sort, seeming to have shifted interest elsewhere and so the passengers could relax for the time being on their return trip to Earth.

Adam was in the ship's infirmary and the doctor had declared he'd be okay given time which allowed the rest of the team to relax.

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire," Matt, the Wolf Pack's assaulter said to no one in particular as the team relaxed in a common area.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alissa, the team's fiery sniper shot back.

"We're heading to Earth but there's a fight going on there just as bad as this one," the burly teen stated but without aggression," maybe even worse," he added with a shrug.

"Yea, but Earth's different, we can win that one," Terrell, the Wolf Pack's machine gunner, interjected optimistically.

"You want to believe that, go ahead," Matt shot back but without any malice.

"It doesn't matter," Alissa declared.

"Why doesn't it matter?" Maia, the quiet, reflective Spartan, asked genuinely, sitting beside Matt.

"Because we're together and if we're together then whatever happens doesn't matter," the sniper said emphatically. She'd been on her Smoothers, the drugs used to control the mood swings of the mind-enhanced Gamma Company Spartan III's, throughout this mission and no longer felt they were a cage but rather a release so she could be who she was beginning to see she truly was. The aggression was still there, that was natural to her personality, but the anger was gone, replaced with a new resolve that burned hotter than her anger ever had.

Matt snorted but said," You're right." He looked over at Maia and added, "as long as we're together, it doesn't matter. We take it one day at a time, because we're family."

"We're family," Alissa restated.

"We're family," Maia echoed softly.

"We're family, Terrell declared, giving all a friendly hug.

Though Mike hadn't heard the conversation with the rest of the team he knew the sentiment. He and Natalia were alone in another part of the ship after he'd spent time with the other Spartans. The trip back to Earth was long enough so there'd be time for them to debrief. The maturing leader wanted the teens to have time to blow off steam without their commander around; besides, he wanted to spend some time alone with Natalia whose relationship they both were still trying to understand.

For her part Natalia was happy for the quiet time as well. She'd gone from the shock of capture and interrogation to the conviction she was going to die then from the elation of rescue to the horrific realization Mike could have died or been left behind to rescue her. It had been too much, even for the woman used to privilege, to process. So Natalia had been happy to assist Melanie, who's dynamic of relationship with Mike she didn't even want to consider at this point, helping Adam because it kept her busy. Other than several long and overt stares with Mike they'd had no connection during the Pelican ride to New Harmony.

Once away from Mars Maia, the team's communication's expert, had used her skills to set up a relay so Natalia could call her father who likely thought she was dead. While in the end it was only a brief message before the line was severed that would be enough. He knew she was alive. Other than the man who sat beside her the troubled woman only wanted a relationship with her father. For years they'd been distant and she'd not cared. Or so she thought. But the last few months had changed much in Natalia Misriah and now she wanted to have a real father in her life. Maybe that would happen despite the threat of war.

_Something good might come out of this whole mess_, she thought to herself.

The pair now sat side-by-side alone in an empty briefing room on a bench against the wall. Mike was happy to be out of Mjolnir armor while Natalia was still in her uniform that was showing the wear of the past few days. There'd been few words exchanged since they`d gotten on the last transport out though everyone around them seemed happy they were together despite the effort to get to this point.

Unsure what to say, spontaneously, a more primal instinct took over and as they turned and their eyes locked each hungrily dived towards the other and their lips met in a ravenous kiss. Mouths open and tongues thrashing each seemed to try to consume the other as they almost seemed to battle for supremacy but this was a contest with no losers and both went deeper into the passion they felt and now unleashed. Each grabbed the other, pulling into a tighter embrace seeking to become as one. Neither knew how long they'd been lost in the embrace before they came up for air.

"Phew, you took my breath away," Natalia commented, lightly stroking the scar on his jaw.

"I'm sorry," Mike apologized pulling back as the old insecurity returned.

"No silly, that was a good thing," she replied, sliding over to snuggle in beside him. "Thank you again for coming to save me."

Mike enjoyed the sensation of her toned body tight into his and felt a tingle all over. He sighed in contentment. "I told you, I wouldn't leave you. We've gone through hell to be together. I'd do anything for you."

Natalia's body convulsed as she tried to stifle a sob.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked in near panic reacting to the emotion. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, quite the opposite." The joy-filled yet emotionally raw woman pulled away to turn so he could see her radiant but tear-filled face. "I've never felt so loved or secure before. Please know you mean the world to me and I'd do anything for you too. Anything, I mean it," she emphasized.

"And you're a Misriah so that means something," Mike shot back playfully which caused the passionate woman's eyes to flare.

"You know it!" Natalia responded with conviction but a glowing smile lit up her face.

"I'm just glad we got there in time." Mike's contentment gave way though to a note of regret which caused Natalia to sit up in concern for the man she loved. "I just wish we could have saved the others like Ackerson too."

"Me too," she replied, taking his hand and stroking it comfortingly. "But you did everything you could. It was nearly over for me too."

"I'm glad it wasn't," he replied, enjoying the feeling of her touching his body. "But why were you spared?" he asked, the tactician creeping into the moment.

"I think because I was ONI," the Office of Naval Intelligence officer replied, wincing at the sensation of the Brute's hot breath and spittle on her face as she was interrogated. "They kept asking me about research we were doing but I didn't know anything about it."

"Well thank God for that," Mike said. Seeing her becoming upset by the thought he took her hand into his. "So where do we go from here?"

"I'm not sure, what do you think?" Natalia replied putting her head against his chest, settling down instantly.

"You're the relationship expert, not me," he countered playfully, a dig at her experience relative to his.

"Jerk," she shot back with a laugh, punching him in the arm. "Hardly that as we've seen in the past few months."

"You found me here on Mars and came for me," Mike reminded her of when she'd first angled to travel to the planet after discovering he was alive after the battle for Reach.

"And you came and found me when you'd been ordered not to."

Mike opened his mouth to deny it but she put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"I talked to Gunny MacGregor and he told me everything," Natalia confessed. "And that means everything to me. I don't know what's going to happen when we get back to Earth but I will NEVER allow anything to come between us again and a Misriah never breaks a pledge."

"I can believe it," Mike responded, kissing her red-streaked blond hair. She snuggled tighter into his embrace. "There's a lot of things I can't control but I can control where my heart and focus are and it's fixed on you. We'll just take it one day at a time and enjoy what we have and not stress what we don't."

Despite the ongoing risk of the war the woman felt safe and secure with the man. The fatigue of the past few days and lack of sleep were catching up despite the intimacy of the moment. Her head became heavy and the rhythmic hum of the ship was mesmerizing.

"So what do you think?" Mike asked the woman who was now breathing deeply on his chest. "Tali?" he asked.

The woman was in a deep sleep and snoring slightly.

The power of the simple act was not lost on the Spartan. Natalia Misriah was a fighter and for her to allow herself to be in such a vulnerable state spoke more than her words about how she felt about him.

For Mike Nantz, Mike-B312, the future ahead was scary not just for the war which seemed to have no happy end but also for this relationship. They loved each other but was that enough? What would happen to them? He decided to not worry about that for the moment. They were together and loved each other regardless of what happened. Adam was stabilized and would be okay. The rest of the team were healthy and they'd survived the total conquest of the planet. They were more than just a group of Spartans, they were family; they had each other and knew it. No, this wasn't Reach despite the outcome and he wasn't that man. Things were going to be okay. Making sure Natalia rested comfortably on his chest Mike sighed with a deep contentment, closed him own eyes and allowed sleep to come as well.

The blissful state didn't rest long for the leader with much still on his mind. Suddenly awake, Mike left Natalia sleeping and went to check in on Adam. The blond haired teen seemed to be resting comfortably in the ship's infirmary with the other wounded. Though his injuries were severe he was out of the woods and would live. From there Mike went to where the rest of the team was staying. He quietly entered the room and while the others acknowledged his entrance they continued what they were doing. Matt and Maia talked quietly, Terrell was absently looking out into space through a porthole and Alissa sat cleaning her SRS99 Sniper Rifle. The simple action reminded the Lone Wolf of Jun who would often do the same thing. Thoughts of Noble Team came flooding in and the inevitable comparison and more powerful guilt would overwhelm. He couldn't seem to shake it. Feelings of inadequacy in his role and even as a man haunted him.

Yet despite the darkness of thought, light flooded in as he looked at his team. Less than three months ago they didn't even know each other and now they were a combat-tested unit. No, not Noble, but still a huge cut above the rest. Yet they were more than a team, they were a family. That had been proven when each volunteered to come with him to Tricode Village on a desperate attempt to free Natalia.

He'd been given months to pick and train a new team that was to replace Noble, then it had become weeks and then the war had come to them on their training base on Mars. They'd done well, but would they ever match up to the famous Spartan team? They'd gotten off on the last transport.

_Kind of like Reach_, Mike thought to himself. This seemed to be becoming a habit. Still, they'd not only rescued the girl but had gotten off. Maybe it was time to stop the Noble Team comparisons and just be who they were meant to be. They'd faced the crucible and proven themselves. Could that be enough for the introspective man?

Now they were heading to Earth. Even using the sublight engines it was a short trip. The Covenant had already attacked so a short turnaround was likely. What would happen when they got there? The issue of Mike's disobeying an order to not go after Natalia hung in the air. Then there was Mel, who while on the transport with them had kept to herself after they'd taken off. His close friend from Camp Currahee had come along on the mission to rescue the billionaire's daughter and Mike's love interest despite not liking her. There would need to be some kind of resolution of the unexplored feelings they'd experience when they were children in training to become Spartans.

Then there was the issue of what would happen to Natalia when they arrived to Earth.

_Back home for her,_ _not me_, Mike corrected himself. He had no home, his had been glassed years earlier when he was a child and that had brought him voluntarily and eagerly into the Spartans. Would things change between them when she was back in the sphere of her father who'd arranged her premature extraction from Reach or her boss Admiral Parangosky who was always scheming? Yet Mike reminded himself that Natalia had found him on Mars and arranged to go there to find him. No, it was a time to stop doubting.

And that time had run out.

Gazing out a window Mike could see Earth coming into the picture and from the look of it they were going to dock at the Space Elevator at New York City. That made sense since according to what he'd heard the Covenant were attacking already in Africa and Asia while North America had thus far been unscathed. The gigantic space tether reached thousands of kilometers into the air in order that its center of gravity could be at a point of geosynchronous orbit above the city. Indeed it was so high up the city couldn't be seen. Mike only knew it was New York by the continental outline. While Space Elevators varied in size and shape they were all typically composed of the same raw material when built throughout the 24th century. The tethers were essentially meshed together as a complex composite of intertwining nanofibers. These ingredients then formed a series of massive cords and rings several hundred meters wide. They were then bound to a grounded set of polycrete anchors larger than most buildings which would hold the elevator's structure in place while the planet spun on its axis. The zenith of the elevator, commonly known as the "orbital" or "terminus" was then pulled taut by the planet's rotational inertia, sliding into geosynchronous orbit well above the planet.

_An incredible wonder of man's ingenuity_, Mike thought. The observant Spartan could see the importance of the structure by the two Orbital Defense Platforms that flanked the space tether protecting it with their Mark V Super MAC guns. As if preparing for attack, a host of frigates floated as a picket line beyond the ODPs. There was a time the overt signs of force would have been a comfort to Mike but he'd been on Reach and Mars and saw the reality of what happens when the Covenant attacks. Still, if humanity was going to make a stand, Earth was the place to do it

_Guess they're getting ready for an attack,_ Mike thought to himself as he continued to look out the window of the shuttle they'd been travelling on. He'd not been to Earth in 13 years, since the trip that had so much shaped his life to this day. The last time here he'd been on a school field trip and his family was back home on Kholo being glassed by the Covenant. Afterwards he'd met Colonel James Ackerson and been recruited into the Spartan III program.

_So much history_, the man who no longer thought of himself as the Lone Wolf mused, _time to go and put the past behind and make the most of the time I have_.

"Guys, prep to land," Mike called out to his team. "We're here."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**November 11, 2552, 0700 Hours, CSS-class Battlecruiser Furious Redemption, in orbit over planet Mars**

"There was an attack on our compound," Mygaeum whispered in Lepidus' ear as the shipmaster settled into his seat. "It appears as if at least one of the human prisoners escaped."

The burly, black furred Brute shrugged his shoulders apathetically. "It is of no matter, my friend, we have what we need and soon none will be able to touch us. When we acquire the Key we will dictate our destiny."

The chieftain's clansman smiled and nodded his shaggy head enthusiastically.

Secretly the cagey Jiralhanae shipmaster was livid at the report but his tactical mind kept him from showing it. His rival Castor was now discredited for his failures against the human defenders allowing him to be elevated to a place of prominence in the Prophet of Truth's command structure. More importantly, his own initial alignment with the Prophet of Regret seemed to be forgotten by the arrogant San'Shyuum. Truth's belief that he had absolute control and loyalty from all those in his command would be his undoing once the ambitious Brute recovered this powerful artefact. He cared nothing for the gods since he believed they cared nothing for him but if projected devotion would put him in a place of control he could be as devote as the next.

No, he wasn't going to allow the inconvenience of one last, desperate, human action take from the moment. Not when he was this close to achieving total power.

"Brothers," Lepidus stood up and roared to those on the command deck of his ship, "we head for Earth to claim our prize and then these usurpers will be ground under our feet! Take us out of orbit."

The Brutes on the command deck roared in approval at the anticipation of the coming fight.

"Shipmaster!" a sensor operator yelled urgently to be heard above the din, "a vessel has just come out of slipspace."

"Hostile intent?" Lepidus asked, his purple command armor catching the light as he turned, suddenly on edge.

"Negative," the operator confirmed, "CCS-Class Battlecruiser. Identification ping places it as the _Harbinger of Piety_."

_What now?_ The Brute chieftain said to himself in frustration while externally keeping his face an impassive mask.

"It's hailing us, sir," the operator reported.

Very well, hold orbit, let's see what they want," Lepidus ordered, the exasperation thick in his voice. "On screen."

An imperious looking San'Shyuum wearing purple robes came onto the main view screen. "I am the Minister of Inquisition," the prophet declared, his purple features matching his robes. "Of whom am I speaking?"

"Shipmaster Lepidus, excellency," the Brute chieftain answered, swearing under his breath as he feared where this was heading.

"I understand you have information about the whereabouts of a sacred relic, I want to know what you have learned," Inquisition asked with a smug look.

Lepidus swore again. "With respect, excellency, the matter is already in action. We are about to leave to the human home planet under the order of the Prophet of Truth."

"Well plans have changed, shipmaster. The High Prophet has moved on to other matters. I'm taking this over. So, I wish to interrogate and make inquiries of my own."

"But excellency," Lepidus tried to be diplomatic, vowing to find and kill the person who leaked that information, "time is of the essence, the humans are off balance and need only…"

"Immaterial," the San'Shyuum cut him off. "There is no need for haste here, shipmaster. Prepare to receive me; I'm coming to your ship to take charge."

The screen went dead and a stunned silence fell over the bridge, the previous elation totally gone.

"What do we do now?" Mygaeum asked, his red eyes flashing in frustration.

Lepidus placed his chin in his massive paws, trying to will the anger down so he would not appear out of control of his emotions. "We wait for our opportunity," he said trying to be as calm as he could.

"Those damned Prophets and their interference!" the second-in-command of the pack exploded.

"Peace Mygaeum," Lepidus counselled, allowing his anger to bleed away through his colleague. "The winds of change are still blowing. We just need to wait for the right opportunity. The time of the Jiralhanae is still at hand."

**November 11, 2552, 1610 Hours, Upstate New York, United States, planet Earth**

Everything tasted like sawdust to Spanner Misriah and it wasn't the fact he continued to be sequestered in his personal bunker. He had every luxury available to him and a personal chef to prepare whatever his fancy dictated. Yet the finest, most choice meat was gristle that stuck in the back of his throat. Despite his wealth and power nothing had meaning to him anymore. The Commerce Department continued their inquiry into his business operations of late but they could do their investigation, they could fine him, he no longer cared. Nothing had value to the no-longer focused businessman anymore. Too late did he realize where his true wealth lay.

He'd give it all away for another chance to make things right with his daughter Natalia.

The troubled father kept playing over and over again in his mind their last conversation.

"I'm staying here and doing my job," his daughter had stated firmly when he'd been expecting her to be on an ONI transport off Mars. "I want you to promise me you won't interfere."

Cold fear had gripped Spanner Misriah. He knew the force of the Covenant attack and the fall of Reach was on his mind

"Promise me dad!" Natalia had demanded, raising her voice in a way she'd never done before.

He hadn't known what to do so the line had gone silent. The powerful industrialist had been briefed in on Mars plus on the building attack on Earth. Desperately he wanted his daughter by his side, to protect her, but he knew he couldn't. It was time to finally let her go. "Okay, I promise you," he'd quietly said, still hearing his voice choking slightly.

"Thanks Dad," Natalia had answered, deeply touch by the gesture and sentiment attached.

"Natalia…"

"Yes dad?"

"I love you," Spanner had declared openly and to his beloved daughter for the first time in years, as his eyes filled with tears.

"I love you too," she'd responded and it was obvious from her tone it had touched her deeply and then the conversation ended.

_Why hadn't I told her that every day? _He thought to himself. But he knew why. Power, influence and privilege had been his love. It had killed his marriage and kept him from his daughter.

_Why?_

Natalia was dead and there was nothing he could do about it. For the first time in his life he couldn't buy or talk his way out of a situation. There was a finality to this that at first had made him very angry so he'd lashed out at everyone around him but now he felt a profound sadness he hadn't experienced. Too late he'd realized where his true wealth lay and it wasn't in his military industrial empire, Misriah Armory, it was in his daughter Natalia.

When the head-strong and precious woman had returned from Reach she was a different person. Too late he'd realized that. He'd arranged through the Office of Naval Intelligence to have her extracted from the planet when it had come under surprise attack by the Covenant. She'd been there as part of the famed Spartan group Noble Team to gain experience and if he was honest, bragging rights. He'd arranged everything right down to the custom, power-assisted Mjolnir armor.

But then the Covenant had attacked.

Natalia's life had been saved by a Spartan who was part of the team and the two had developed some form of relationship. This was unacceptable to Spanner Misriah. No daughter of his was going to be involved with some soldier, and especially one that had gone through augmentation. It was not just prejudice that spoke but a cold practicality. There was no profit in her being involved with a Spartan.

_No profit._

The words burned in his mind and the heart-broken man couldn't bear to look at himself in the mirror.

Natalia had tried to explain, had tried to show him how she'd changed but he wouldn't accept it. He, her father, had instead pushed her towards Mackenzie Wainwright, an ambitious senior executive within his business empire. That had turned out disastrous which only led to more problems with Natalia. After a drunken brawl in a Melbourne nightclub she'd been reassigned to Mars by the head of ONI, Admiral Margaret Parangosky. There his daughter had begun a tour of military production facilities checking their operational efficiency. It had been a total make-work project and would have been fine if he hadn't been moving production from the planet in anticipation of attack and in defiance of the terms of his contract with the United Earth Government and UNSC which she had likely discovered.

None of that mattered when the Covenant attacked and conquered Mars.

This time there would be no extraction and she was now dead. Spanner Misriah buried his face in his hands and felt his body begin to convulse involuntarily. Too late had he been to save his marriage and now too late did he realize the precious gift of his daughter. He cursed God that he hadn't had more time, that he hadn't made things right, that he'd never truly listened to his daughter, but in his heart he knew it was his fault. He'd been too busy, too focused, too proud. And now it was too late. He cursed instead the choices he'd made and the fact that he didn't have another chance to see where his wealth truly lay and make different choices.

Spanner Misriah sat with face in his hands for how long he didn't know. No one disturbed him for none wanted to face his wrath and if he was honest none likely cared enough about him to sit with him anyways. To his employees the billionaire was only a paycheck. He truly had no one.

Spanner's communications device warbled, reminding him life was still going on.

Few had the private man's personal number so that stirred him from the growing lethargy consuming him. Absently grabbing it Spanner looked at the number and didn't recognize it. He could see it was a relayed off-planet call but his foggy mind couldn't make it out. His first instinct told him to ignore it but something said he shouldn't.

"Hello?" he answered dully.

"Daddy? It's me, Tali. We're coming home."

"Natalia!" Spanner Misriah shouted into the device, suddenly awake and aware as if he'd been hit by an electroshock. "Tali, is that really you? Where are you?" he practically screamed.

"I'm alive…I'm okay," Natalia confirmed, alive as he was. "I thought I was…."

Then the line went dead.

Spanner Misriah let rip a primal scream that had come from the depths of his soul. Far from rage at losing the call, it was a joy he didn't know existed. Natalia was alive, he had another chance.

"Two bodyguards from his close protection detail burst into the room, weapons drawn, expecting the worst.

"Sir?" the leader asked confusion on his tough face.

"I'm fine, get out," Spanner ordered, waving them away.

As the pair of former ODSTs left without question, he called out, "Niccolo?"

"Yes, my lord," Spanner Misriah's Smart AI answered appearing on his desk in an avatar of a Renaissance-era gentleman.

"Scan for inbound transport ships from Mars and determine likely place of landing," Spanner ordered, no longer trying subterfuge like he'd done in the past with the AI. He wouldn't hold things like this back anymore.

While it took only a few seconds for the AI it felt like an eternity for the elated father.

"All refugees and equipment from Mars seem to be landing at the New York City Space Port due to the problems in Africa and Asia currently," Niccolo reported.

Spanner Misriah let out another primal yell of elation that even caught the Smart AI off guard.

"My lord, are you well?" the Smart AI asked, confusion etching his face. "Should I call for your physician?"

"No, I'm fine," Spanner answered, a broad smile filling his usually creased face. "Incredible, in fact. What is ETA for docking of the last batch?"

"Well, based on when the message was received and from the fact your daughter was likely on one of the last transports off planet, estimate would be fourteen point two five hours on sublight engines."

The statement caught the calculating industrialist off guard but he tabled the thought, just happy Natalia was alive and he'd have another chance.

"Ms. Crossway," Spanner called for his executive assistant.

"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" Nancy Crossway asked as she entered the opulent office. The middle-aged woman had worked from him for eight years and while petite she had a fiery personality and feared reputation as one who fiercely protected her boss. The woman had heard the shouts so was concerned but knew to wait so was happy for the look of joy on her boss' face. While most feared or didn't like Spanner Misriah she had a protective, maternal affection for him which extended to his daughter Natalia.

"We're heading for the city. We need to be ready to relocate within in two hours," Spanner ordered.

"What about the Industrial Council meeting coming up, won't that interfere?" Nancy asked the question that needed to be stated.

"They can wait," the billionaire growled. "I do nothing until I've seen Natalia."

"Natalia's alive?" Nancy asked incredulously, her heart coming up into her mouth. "But how?"

"I don't know, there's time to find that out later. Right now everything goes on hold until I see her."

"As you wish," the efficient executive assistant responded as it was not her job to question, but yet her own face displayed the joy she felt in her heart at the welcome news, "and might I add, I'm glad she's alive."

"Thank you," Spanner Misriah answered quietly, touched by the obvious concern and now joy his assistant had openly displayed despite how he'd treated her in the past.

For her part Nancy could swear there were tears in his eyes. "I am too, more than I've ever been in my life."

**November 11, 2552, 1612 Hours, UNSC HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

Admiral Margaret Parangosky looked up from her mug of steaming Jamaica Black coffee as her aide Captain Serin Osman walked in without appointment. The observant head of the Office of Naval Intelligence could tell something was amiss by the tight look on the woman's face. The always-scheming and powerful head of ONI had been looking at after-action reports from Mars and readiness states for the defense of Earth, things that really didn't interest her, so she hoped there would be something coming that would stimulate her intellect.

"What is it, Serin?" Parangosky asked as her aide reached her large, polished desk.

"Ma'am, I've just gotten some late evac reports from Mars," Osman began, frown on her face, "on it was Mike-B312 and Natalia Misriah."

"Impossible!" Parangosky exploded, coming forward in her leather chair. "She was confirmed KIA."

Serin Osman involuntarily pulled back despite towering over the frail looking elderly woman at six foot three. "Apparently not, she's on the final list off planet and has…"

"Black Box," Parangosky cut off her aide and protégé.

"Here, admiral," the Smart AI who took the form of a featureless blue-lit cube rather than any human avatar appeared above the desk.

"Yes, the captain is correct in her information," the AI confirmed in a somewhat oily voice.

"And how did we not know about this?" the admiral asked, irritation growing to rage. "And more importantly how did you not know about this?"

"Admiral," Black Box responded with a huff, "even I can't access information and feeds that don't exist. The whole comms grid went down and the Brutes use very little electronic communications."

"Fine," Parangosky shot back, "then why am I hearing this from Serin and not you?"

"Because Admiral you had tasked me to other things," the Artificial Intelligence designated BBX-8995-1 responded with more personality than he liked to admit. "The Natalia Misriah file was closed by you."

"Dammit!" the admiral exploded anew, leaping from her desk, causing Osman and even Black Box to pull back. Osman in particular could never recall a time hearing her boss swear like that, always priding herself as one in control.

For her part, Margaret Parangosky chided herself for the emotional outburst but even for her this was becoming a stressful time with Mars falling and Earth already under invasion. The fear that Australia, and Sydney in particular as the headquarters of the United Earth Government, was under imminent threat was wearing her down.

"Okay," the admiral declared, running a hand over her pulled back white hair, "then tell me what you do know."

"Very well," Black Box countered, obvious irritation at the admiral's tone, "we know Misriah was part of Colonel Ackerson's convoy that was overrun by the Covenant and none escaped."

"And what is Ackerson's status?" Parangosky asked pointedly, looking hard at the AI and her aide as if expecting bad news. The scheming woman was still angry at the UNSC Army officer who had thwarted her plans for Mike by grabbing him for a new Spartan team to replace Noble Team.

"His status has not changed. He has been listed as MIA and presumed dead," Black Box confirmed.

"At least some good news," Parangosky breathed out. "Continue."

"Nothing is confirmed because this is still a fluid situation," the AI began, "but based on signals traffic it appears Mike-B312 defied an evacuation order and went with his team to rescue her from a Covenant holding facility. They got out on the last transport off planet."

Despite having no love for Natalia Misriah, Serin Osman couldn't help but smile at the audacity of the Spartan's action. The failed Spartan II was rewarded with a withering look from the admiral.

Parangosky took a moment to absorb the information, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "So there was an evacuation order that he defied?"

"Yes, admiral."

"And do we know what his evac destination is?"

"Yes, admiral," Black Box confirmed, "they are on approach even now to the New York Space Port."

"Who was the planetary commander on Mars?" Parangosky asked, wheels already turning.

"General Phil Sheridan, ma'am," Osman reported, anticipating the question.

"Very well. What a joy that dear Natalia is coming home to daddy," Parangosky stated bitterly, "and the Lone Wolf comes to Earth. So be it, I know how to handle this."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**November 12, 2552, 1345 Hours, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

The city was unsurprisingly a hive of activity as shuttles and transports came in depositing refugees from both on and off planet. A growing military base was set up close to the spaceport so the Wolf Pack with Natalia in tow made the short trip to the UNSC facility tasked with operations in the area.

"Maia find the Ops Center and get us billets," Mike ordered, "I'm going to see that Adam gets settled into the infirmary and then find the armory. We need to know the state of replenishing here."

"Yes sir," the quiet Spartan answered then moved smoothly through the crowd.

"The rest of you take ten," Mike told them. "I have the feeling we'll be back to it sooner rather than later."

The rest of the team slumped down on some empty crates, thankful for nothing to do after the intensity of their time on Mars. The leader of the Wolf Pack could see people around them starting to give them space and begin to openly stare. The presence of Spartans seemed to be an encouragement to the disheartened soldiers and civilians moving about on the makeshift base. Mike was reminded anew of the influence he and his teammates had on the environment around them. It was both a blessing and curse. The pressure of reputation was around them, he could never escape it, no more than the enhanced teenagers he commanded could blend into a crowd.

"Mike? Mike Nantz, is that you?" a vaguely familiar female voice called out of a crowd of UNSC Army soldiers passing by breaking the Spartan's time of reflection.

Mike turned to the voice and saw someone he never thought he would see again. "Mandy?" he called in surprise as he saw the Army medic he'd saved on Reach come through the crowd.

A smile lit up Mandy Campbell's round, pretty face taking away the hardness that had been masking it. "I knew you were alive!" she declared, burying herself into him in a massive hug. Despite being almost a foot-and-a-half shorter than the armored Spartan she was able to hold on.

"It's great to see you again," Mike replied genuinely, returning the embrace.

"Others said you hadn't made it," Mandy looked up at him, her dark brown eyes sparkling, "but I knew they couldn't kill you. Then I heard rumors…," her chestnut brown ponytail bobbed up and down in emphasis.

"Ahem."

The revelry of the pair was broken by Natalia who walked into the scene.

"Uhm, what's going on here?" Natalia asked Mike pointedly, ignoring the woman.

"Oh yea, you remember Private Mandy Campbell," Mike replied not catching the warning signs, "we all served together on Reach."

"It's sergeant now," Mandy replied, eyeing Natalia warily. "And Mike, you actually saved my life on Reach, if you remember," she adding playfully, continuing to hang on to him.

"Really? Congratulations Mandy," Mike responded enthusiastically to the news, oblivious to the staring match starting to go on. "You deserve it. You're an amazing medic."

"Thanks Mike, but there were a lot of openings after Reach," Mandy answered sadly.

Natalia cut right in. "Isn't that just super." The competitive woman remembered the annoying woman from Reach and was still bothered by the familiarity she showed towards Mike. Who did she think she was? It was bad enough she had to deal with the Spartan Melanie now there was this one it appeared.

"And you're back on the scene?" Mandy asked Natalia, eyes shifting from the sadness of recollection to fire. "Didn't you get extracted early from Reach?" she asked as innocently as she was capable though the guise didn't hold.

"How did you hear about that?" Natalia exploded.

"Oh, I don't know," Mandy responded coyly.

"Listen, it's all…," Mike began but was cut off.

"One thing that has changed is we're together now," Natalia declared bluntly, taking his arm and pulling him back slightly for emphasis. "So it's all good." _For a guy who has no experience with women he sure seems to know a lot of them_, she thought to herself.

"It's Misriah, isn't it?" Mandy responded holding her ground and showing she still remembered the name. Looking at the uniform she added, "You were ONI, right?" which caused several moving about to shoot the woman dirty looks. "Didn't I see you all over the holonews like last month?" she asked with a feigned innocence.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Natalia answered awkwardly, face suddenly reddening.

"No, I'm sure I could find it for you," Mandy pressed in aggressively, pulling out a datapad.

Mike finally clued into what was happening and despite him being somewhat frozen by inexperience with this kind of thing still acted. "That's fine Mandy. It is good to see you but Natalia…"

"Sergeant Campbell, let's go!" an officer barked, breaking the moment.

"Got to go!" Mandy declared perkily. "It's great to see you Mike," she stated enthusiastically, ignoring Natalia, "I'll be seeing you around." She jumped up and gave him a peck on the cheek then skipped happily away while Natalia seethed beside him.

And Mike thought fighting the Covenant was complicated.

Every time he thought he'd settled these matters something else came up that he had to try to figure out.

The Spartan turned to face Natalia who was giving him an angry look and wasn't sure what to do. "What?" he finally asked, as the rest of the Wolf Pack tried to be anonymous.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Natalia stated more than asked.

"What do you mean?" Mike answered, unsure what to say.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" the angry woman repeated more aggressively.

"She was a girl I met on Reach," Mike answered honestly, still confused by Natalia's reaction. "We worked on a mission together."

"Oh really?" the irritated woman shot back somewhat sarcastically.

Mike didn't understand her reaction having little experience with this kind of thing but then it finally occurred to him. "Are you jealous?" he asked.

"Well, no…it's just…I mean…," Natalia stammered, caught in the reality of how she was, in fact, responding. The experienced woman had obviously been jealous; to her it was a natural reaction. Then she had her own reservations. Mike had no experience with women in this kind of thing, _unlike you_, the little voice in her head reminded her. It was likely as he'd said and yet she'd been willing to think the worst of him just like that.

While a crowd of curious onlookers stopped and stared at the interaction going on there was another keener observer. Mel, or Melanie-B252, watched from the shadows of a loading bay. The 'Whisper' as her well-earned nickname revealed was a master of stealth and observation. As a seasoned recon Spartan she'd been instrumental in helping Mike and the Wolf Pack in this area but in truth she needed none of those skills to take in the tense conversation between the Lone Wolf and the billionaire's daughter. The experienced operator had volunteered to accompany Mike on the mission to rescue Natalia Misriah more out of a desire to help Mike. In truth the volatile Spartan cared very little for the ONI officer with a silver spoon but had left Mike to his choice. But the desperate rescue mission to Tricode Village turned out to be the closest to death she'd been in years. Once they'd made it out safe she had removed herself from the rest of the team to decompress and think. She and Mike, or Michael as she preferred to call him, had a complicated relationship going back to Onyx and their time at Camp Currahee training. He'd thought she was dead years earlier and they'd only been reunited last month. They'd had a relationship of sorts back in training but they were only kids then, now they were in their 20's and much had changed.

Mike's initial reaction had been confused hostility; Melanie reflected back on what had only been a few weeks but felt like a lifetime. Not surprising, she granted him, but then they'd seemed to start to reconnect. Then this Misriah chick showed up and put a halt to everything. Melanie had been willing to stand aside, she had no experience in the area of feelings nor did she feel at the time a desire to enter this area but things changed on the trip from Mars to Earth. She began to realize that life was short and there was more to it than her service to the UNSC. No, she had desires as a woman and now a desire to experience them. And perhaps there was a chink in the armor of the relationship between Mike and Natalia and she could experience these feelings with him.

Oblivious to the observers around her, for Natalia her instinctive actions caught her off guard and suddenly she realized what she was doing. It had not even been two days since Mike had risked his life and disobeyed orders to rescue her.

Bile welled up in her stomach in disgust of her thought process. _What's wrong with me? _She thought to herself. Mike continued to look at her with a look of confusion and hurt on his face. She had to explain. "Mike, I…"

"Natalia!" a male voice urgently called out to her, "Natalia!"

She and the others turned in the direction and coming through the crowd surrounded by his security detail was her father.

Spanner Misriah uncharacteristically broke through the protective bubble and ran towards his daughter. Even more uncharacteristic tears filled his eyes and by the time he reached her the proud billionaire was openly weeping. Those around him and more especially those closed to him were stunned by the actions of the proud, calculating industrialist. Yet it seemed something had broken within the man at the sight of his only daughter returned from the dead.

"Tali I…you were dead….oh Tali," the man in joy-filled anguish cried out almost unintelligibly, "so sorry…you were dead…so, so sorry…."

Natalia was at first shocked by her father's display of emotions and then deeply touched. She opened her arms and entered fully into the embrace beginning to cry herself. Even the hardest heart and deepest Misriah hater was touched by the open display of love and contrition. With the continued bad news from the war and imminent fear of attack it was a pleasant reminder that hope can be found in the simplest things.

"I'm so sorry, Tali…thought I'd lost you forever," Spanner kept repeating, gaining some control over his emotions but still weeping, unconcerned for those watching and filming the reunion.

"It's okay, I'm here; I'm safe," Natalia replied, holding him in a way that she never had but had always longed for.

The pair held on to each other for several minutes, neither speaking. Natalia resting her head on her father's broad shoulder looked out and saw Mike watching the scene, a small smile on his face but also a look of confusion from their interrupted conversation.

"Daddy, I want you to meet someone," Natalia declared, breaking their embrace and pulling back to look at him. It was time for definitive action, no more subtle maneuvering. "I want you to meet Mike, the man who saved my life and the one I love."

She went to Mike, grabbed his hand and brought him over face-to-face with the man who'd done so much to keep them apart.

It was the moment of truth.

Spanner Misriah's shoulder bobbed in emotion and he choked back fresh tears. Spontaneously he went and embraced the armored Spartan. "Thank you son for this gift, I…I can't tell you how much this means," again the proud businessman began to lose control of his emotions, "So sorry…."

"You're welcome, sir," Mike responded uncomfortably, pulling back from the embrace. "Your daughter means a lot to me."

He hadn't forgotten Natalia's early extraction from Reach and everything else the man had done to keep them apart. Seeing the man whose name was on his rifle reminded him of the privilege she represented. Natalia had shared his feelings towards the Spartan so the experienced operator was wary of what he was seeing.

"Son, I owe you an apology," the perceptive billionaire responded without hesitation, catching the Spartan's discomfort. "I misjudged you and did everything I could to keep you two apart. I was wrong to do that and hope you both can forgive me."

Natalia's hand spontaneously went to her mouth in shock at the declaration. She could barely recognize the actions of her often cold father. Again she went to him and held him in an embrace that he openly returned.

Mike, for his part, nodded his head in appreciation at the gesture but was still uncertain what he thought or what he believed. The sight of father and daughter reunited was touching to him though and gave him a warm feeling so he decided to live in that for the moment.

"Thank you, sir," Mike answered humbly, "I appreciate that. But then it's not surprising really. You don't know me at all and your daughter's been in some pretty tight circumstances. It's probably natural you'd also think no one was good enough for her," he added with a chuckle. "No, it's all good."

"Oh Mike!" Natalia gushed, face exploding in a radiant smile. Taking his hand and pulling him closer to her and her father.

"That's very gracious of you, Mike," Spanner Misriah confessed, shocked by the thoughtfulness of the supersoldier. He'd thought Spartan III's were no more than robots with flesh yet the one before him who his beloved daughter looked at with open and pure affection displayed an obvious depth of feeling and insight he'd not expected. He then looked over at the other Spartans taking the scene in who were likely his team observing the happy smile each had on their face. He'd been wrong, about a great many things. It was time for some things to change in his attitude and actions.

But not until he'd spent time with Natalia and repaired the damage he'd caused.

"Could we get away from here and talk maybe?" Spanner asked politely. Then looking at Mike and the crowd watching he added, "I mean if you're allowed. Would that be possible?"

Natalia wasn't sure. They'd only just arrived and really didn't know what was going on. She knew though who would and almost on instinct looked to Mike. "What do you think? Would it be okay?"

"Sure," Mike answered with a shrug. "We don't really have any orders or know what's going on. You should probably check in with your chain-of-command but I think that can wait, all things considered."

"Thanks Mike," Natalia beamed.

"I appreciate that," Spanner genuinely added. He was touched anew at the thoughtfulness of the Spartan and lack of jealously despite his obvious affection for his daughter. "We could go for something to eat or maybe even go to the house."

"Could we?" Natalia asked with glee. It had been years since she'd been to the home she'd grown up in in New York.

"Of course," he answered, deeply touched by the genuineness she saw in his daughter. Then the reality of how foolish he'd been for years hit him. "God forgive me for how stupid I've been."

"Daddy?"

"Nothing," the billionaire responded, gaining control of his thoughts. "I can have you back here whenever you need." Then a thought struck him, one that even caught him off guard but he instantly liked. "Mike, I would be honoured if you would join us for dinner tonight at our home."

"Sir?" Mike was stunned by the invitation.

Spanner chuckled at the response. "I guess that seems pretty odd. Listen, you're obviously important to my daughter and I want to make things right. So I'd like to get to know you better. I hope you can see it in your heart to give me a chance. Please, come dine with us."

"Yes Mike, that would be amazing," Natalia added, giving his hand a squeeze.

"That would be great, sir," Mike confirmed, still caught off guard but simultaneously touched. "I'm sure it can be worked out."

"Outstanding!" Spanner Misriah beamed. "I'll send a car for you. You and Natalia can work out the details."

"I'll call as soon as we get there Mike and we can sort out the details," Natalia confirmed enthusiastically, giving him a quick hug and skipping off with her father.

Mike happily watched the sight and felt an absence of burden for the first time in a long time.

"Wow, dinner at the Misriah's, lucky guy," Matt stated but without malice coming over to stand beside him. The rest of the team grinned and seemed genuinely happy.

For his part Mike felt a calm and growing peace he'd rarely experienced. They'd done the impossible, they'd found Natalia and all got out alive. Life was good.

Three UNSC Army MP's pushed through the crowd, instantly catching the attention of the battle-ready Spartans.

"Lieutenant Commander Mike-B312, we have a warrant for your arrest," the leader, a lieutenant, stated without introduction.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asked the officer in charge. "Based on what?"

"By orders of General Sheridan, for disobeying a direct order," the MP stated firmly but seeming a bit nervous as the other Spartans crowded in.

"Are you kidding me?" Matt exploded. "This is bogus."

"Yea, with the Covenant expected anytime and you're taking him out?" Alissa pressed in angrily.

"Stand down, Spartans," the MP officer ordered, hand resting on his pistol holster, "I have my orders."

"Oh that's how it's going to be?" Matt stated angrily, seeing the action and squaring up.

Mike suddenly felt the return of burden and a crushing fatigue. "Easy guys," he said to his team to calm them down then to the MP asked, "Can I see the charge document?"

The officer handed a datapad to Mike then took two steps back to get away from the volatile Spartans who were seething with anger.

It was what he expected.

A crowd had gathered to see what was going on. Mike looked at the faces and he saw a mix of confusion and disappointment. How he acted now would make a huge difference not just for him but those gathered. The Lone Wolf began to feel the burden of responsibility and reputation; it seemed a new legacy was being launched.

"It's legit, guys," Mike announced to his team, handing the datapad back. He took a deep breath. "It's for disobeying the direct order to evacuate Mars."

A murmur went through the crowd.

"But you did that to save Natalia, sir," Alissa countered quietly though her voice betrayed emotion. "She'd be dead if you didn't do that."

"And what about the rest of us?" Terrell joined in. "We all broke the same order. Are we under arrest too for saving someone?" he said to the MP's.

"No, this warrant is only for the lieutenant commander, not for you," the officer confirmed.

"Well then how is that fair?" Alissa countered logically. "We all should be under it then."

The murmur in the crowd grew to grumbling and open hostility towards the military law enforcement team as the gist of the reason for the disobedience became clear.

The shift was not lost on Mike who felt an even greater burden. He knew what he had to do. "Listen guys," he began, raising a hand to calm things down, "I was the one who disobeyed and you came along out of loyalty to me." He waved his hand to quiet Alissa who had a retort on her mouth, "and I appreciate you doing this and risking your lives. But an orders an order and I broke it and Adam's in the infirmary because of it. Yes, we're at war but now more than ever we need the law and discipline if we're going to survive. If we don't follow orders we fall into chaos and that's worse than dying in some ways." Mike paused, struck by his words and how much he'd changed in the past few months. "I made that decision to go down this path and I'll face the consequences for the greater good. You can take me away, lieutenant." He held his arms out to be cuffed.

"But," Alissa tried to counter.

"No, it has to be this way," Mike cut her off. "What about my team though?"

"Honestly sir, I don't know," the Army MP answered in confusion. "Maybe stay on base until receiving further instruction." He tried to put a pair of vibrocuffs on Mike but they didn't fit over his Mjolnir armor. With a slight shudder he realized just how much he needed the supersoldier's co-operation. "And thank you for understanding, sir. I heard what you guys did on Mars. This sucks but I'm just doing my job."

"That's okay, I get it," Mike responded, touched by the confession. Then to his team he ordered, "Find Maia and tell her what happened. She's in charge until we get this all sorted out. Also, find Special Ops and report in but I suspect command knows we're here. Follow their orders. I'll talk to you as soon as I can."

The three remaining Spartans formed up as one and responded with a crisp salute. Wolf Pack!" they cried out in unison.

Mike was touched by the gesture and also by the strangers in the crowd who patted him on the back and said thank you as he moved through and away from them. Then a crushing thought struck him- he was going to miss dinner.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**November 13, 2552, 0910 Hours, New York Military Operations Center, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

Legacies….. Mike sat in his cell alone with his thoughts. The concept that had haunted him for so many years popped up after being dormant for the past several months. He took the battered medal out of his pocket. He'd fished it out of the utility pouch on his armor he'd kept it in before the MP's had led him to the brig. He looked at the faded blue ribbon and tarnished medal, a Congressional Medal of Honor, that had been awarded to the man he was named after. Mike Nantz had been a Marine sergeant on Earth the first time aliens had invaded the planet in 2011. And he'd been instrumental in helping humanity find a way to defeat the threat. His father had told him the story from an early age and it had become the Nantz family legacy since then.

_Big shoes to fill,_ Mike thought to himself. During his time on Mars and with the Wolf Pack he'd thought he'd moved on but it seemed the concept had only moved to the recesses of his mind.

_How did I end up in this?_ Mike thought to himself. Yes, he'd disobeyed orders but he thought for a greater good. Now it appeared he was being punished in the middle of a war for it. The disciplined supersoldier couldn't argue with the legality of it but the justice of it was another thing.

What would this mean for him? And more importantly what would it mean for his team? He was in the brig, Adam in the hospital. Would they break his team up? Would command send them back to be expendable soldiers, cannon fodder, for the defense of Earth? It wouldn't be the first time, Mike thought to himself.

And what would his legacy be? Sure he'd succeeded in his missions on Reach with Noble Team but all but Jun had died. Yes, they'd accomplished some big tasks on Mars but that planet fell too. With humanity hanging in the balance there was a need for those who could inspire. He'd begun to hope he might have been able to be that kind of catalyst. But now what would his legacy be? Would people shake their head at his name and speak of opportunity and potential lost?

Anger spiked at the thought and Mike spontaneously punched the concrete wall so hard the sound thundered in the brig.

_Guess I'm not as disciplined as I think_, Mike chided himself. He'd been on a high since the rescue mission had happened. They'd found and rescued Natalia and all had gotten out alive. Gunny MacGregor had successfully held the last transport and they'd made it back to Earth. A fairy tale ending. Natalia's dad had been visibly moved by her return and had made particular note of his involvement. Things were good.

And now this.

It seemed as if joy and personal victory for Mike Nantz was going to be perpetually squelched out by the realities of the world and the injustices endemic to it.

Dinner!

The thought hit Mike like a plasma bolt. Natalia was going to be calling to set up their dinner date with her father. He'd had his personal communications device taken from him and he had no way of letting her know what was going on. What would she think? Would she think he'd bailed? Despair overwhelmed him like the Flood and his mood turned black. What had once seemed to be the start of something new only was getting darker.

Mike sat in this virtual darkness for how long he couldn't tell. The meal that had been brought to him sat on a stool untouched. He had no appetite, nor the desire to do anything but despair.

The forlorn man was shaken from his lethargy by the sound of feet in the hallway.

"Spartan, you have a visitor," the MP corporal on duty announced as the door to his cell slid open.

Instead of one of his teammates, Gunny MacGregor, or even Natalia in walked an impeccably dressed and groomed middle age civilian man. Though he had a pale complexion, was balding and wore wire glasses there was a sharpness and aggression in his eyes that couldn't be masked by his easy smile. "Leave us," he ordered the guard without ceremony.

"But I have my orders to….," the MP stammered, caught off guard.

"You have no right or authority to do this, corporal," the man in a tailored black suit with crisp white shirt shot back authoritatively, "or do I speak with your captain?"

The guard scurried off without another word leaving a stunned Mike alone with the strange visitor.

"Lieutenant Commander, my name is Peter Slack and I have been retained by Spanner Misriah to be your legal counsel."

"Pardon?" Mike asked, confused by the turn of events. "What do you mean?"

"I'm to be your lawyer, Mike," Slack answered patiently, adjusting the blue silk tie he wore.

"Do I need one?" Mike asked, still unsure what was going on.

"You most definitely do," Slack responded confidently, taking a datapad out of his leather briefcase and looking over several documents. "Even as a member of the UNSC military and a Spartan you still have rights. I'm here to protect them."

"And Mr. Misriah contacted you?"

"He did," the lawyer confirmed, "because I have some experience in military law and procedures."

_Natalia's dad did this for me?_ Mike thought, shocked but also touched by the action. "Thank you, and thank him. Everything happened so fast I didn't know what to do."

"Mike, that's not on you," Slack responded, his tone showing a suppressed anger. "This never should have gone down this way."

"What do you mean?"

"There'll be time to talk about that later," the lawyer responded. "First thing is we get you released from here and back to your unit. The charge doesn't warrant this kind of response. Someone is just flexing their authority."

"But I disobeyed a direct order."

"For a greater good," Slack responded easily. "Yes, that's true, but the nature of the refusal needs to be taken into account and it hasn't been. There does need to be consequences but it could have easily been a reprimand noted to your personnel file. To arrest and detain you? That's not right. There's something else going on here and I'm going to get to the bottom of this," Slack declared, allowing the emotion to now show in his voice. "I'm here now and this is going to get corrected and fast. The UNSC owes you a debt of gratitude lieutenant commander, not jail."

"Thank you. I didn't know what to do," Mike confessed, feeling a bit sheepish.

"That's why I'm here," the lawyer declared emphatically. "I'm on your side, Mike. So don't worry. We'll get this straightened out."

The previous afternoon Natalia had arrived at the luxurious condo overlooking Central Park, a place she hadn't been to in years. Though many of the now reflective woman's memories were bad there were surprisingly more pleasant ones than she'd allowed herself to believe. Happier times, when she'd been a girl and her parents were still together flooded in and she couldn't help but smile and feel a warmth inside that had long been suppressed. Though her father kept a respectful distance as she reacquainted herself he also maintained contact. Natalia happily lost herself in the experience for nearly two hours and her father joyfully allowed her this indulgence.

Still, the quick thinking woman had her own agenda. "What time would you like Mike for dinner?" she asked, watching her father's reaction.

"Whenever you want and whenever he's free," Spanner Misriah answered lightly. "I'll send a car to the base for him and then Renaldo can whip us up anything the two of you would like since you've probably not eaten well lately.

Natalia's face lit up at the obvious concern for both of them and willingness to integrate Mike. "Honestly, daddy, the sooner the better. I want the two of you to get to know each other. Plus, the reality is, I don't know how much time any of us have so I don't want to waste any of it."

_She called me daddy_," Spanner thought to himself in delight. She hasn't done that in years. The joy filling his heart was almost overwhelming to the scheming man who for years had lived for the game so hadn't felt such powerful emotions for years. "Give him a call. I have a car on standby so we can get him anytime."

"That would be great," Natalia beamed, lighting up the comfortable living room they stood in. She pulled out her communications device and punched his number. The look of anticipation soon turned to a cloudy look as he didn't pick. "That's weird," she mumbled, "I guess he's likely just getting things taken care of."

"Why don't you sit down?" Spanner asked, pointing to an overstuffed couch. "You can try him again in a few minutes.

Natalia sat down and he beside her. Immediately she tried Mike again but with no better luck.

"Would you be willing to tell me about your time on Mars?" Spanner asked, pained now by the disappointed look on his daughter's face. But as altruistic as the man's intention, he was still the man he was and so wanted to know if she'd mention the inspections she'd done of his factories on Mars before the Covenant attacked. The billionaire industrialist had moved production away from the planet after the fall of Reach and she'd gone to visit them. He was awaiting a summons to a Commerce Department tribunal on this as the United Earth Government department had somehow found out. That now held little interest to him. He wanted to know if his beloved daughter would question him about this action.

She began to tell of what happened starting with the attack on the planet and her decision to not withdraw with the rest of the Office of Naval Intelligence team. She'd asked her father to not intervene like he'd done on Reach where the scheming man had arranged through Admiral Parangosky for her to be extracted at the soonest possible time from Noble Team where she'd been serving. That had caused great tension between her and father as well as Mike.

In the initial stages of the conversation she'd stopped regularly to try to get a hold of Mike with the same results. Irritation at the delay in connecting began to distract the emotional woman but then as she began to describe the last few weeks, her role as a Combat Controller and then her eventual capture the distraction was gone and she got caught in the moment. This lasted for well over an hour finishing with Mike and his team rescuing her right before her Brute captors were about to kill her.

"And he did that for you?" Spanner said, his voice barely above a whisper, as the reality sunk in. "He risked himself and his team even though he'd been ordered to leave?"

"Yes, that's the kind of man Mike Nantz is," Natalia declared emphatically, looking hard at her father to ensure she'd made her point.

"I was so wrong about him," Spanner confessed, looking down at the expensive Persian rug covering the marble floor.

Natalia opened her mouth to agree with her device went off. Eagerly she looked at it but was disappointed to not recognize the number. Initially she thought to not answer but something compelled her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Ma'am, this is Maia, from Lieutenant Commander Mike's team."

"Yes Maia, how are you?" Her heart began to beat harder because of the unexpected call.

"Not good, ma'am. Mike's been arrested and is in the brig," the Spartan got right to the point.

"What?" Natalia exploded. "When? How?"

Spanner Misriah picked up the gist of what his daughter was saying and noting her immediate distress stood beside her nervously.

"It happened shortly after you left," Maia answered calmly though there was a note of concern in her voice. "An MP detachment showed up and took him into custody. He's in the brig on the base."

"But why?" Natalia asked, trying to control her own emotions. As she asked the question instinctively she knew the answer.

"Well…," Maia hesitated.

"Please tell me," Natalia pleaded.

"It was for disobeying a direct order."

"The one to leave Mars and instead come and save me?" Natalia cried causing her father to spontaneously grab her hand

"Yes ma'am," Maia confirmed

Natalia felt the growing lump in her stomach rise into her throat. Mike was arrested because of her. He saved her life and now he was arrested. Then, coming out of nowhere in the formerly selfish woman she asked, "And what about the rest of the team? What's happened to you?"

"Nothing, ma'am, we're okay." Maia seemed pleased she'd shown concern for the other Spartans. "We're confined to quarters until we receive orders. Listen, I need to go. I just wanted you to know since I heard you and the CO making plans."

"Thank you, I appreciate that more than you can imagine. If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know," Natalia pledged, mind reeling and suddenly feeling lightheaded.

"You're welcome, ma'am, and will do. I'll keep you posted if we hear any more," Maia confirmed and then hung up.

"Daddy!" Natalia cried out, losing the fragile control of her emotions as she dropped her device. She then spontaneously buried her head in her father's chest and fiercely wrapped her arms around him, degenerating into sobs.

Spanner Misriah responded and enveloped her in a protective bear hug. Though middle aged Spanner was both fit and strong so now firmly held his daughter as his own mind reeled at what he'd heard.

"What are we going to do?" Natalia cried.

"We're not going to let this injustice happen," Spanner Misriah went from the unfamiliar role of protective parent to angry billionaire with tremendous resources at his disposal. "Niccolo!" he called out for his personal Smart AI, something he'd never done in front of his daughter. Yes, much had changed for the military industrialist.

"My lord," Niccolo responded, appearing in his chosen avatar of the 16th century Italian nobleman and thinker Niccolo Machiavelli.

"I know you heard the conversation so confirm details," Spanner ordered, trying to control his rising anger.

It took the Smart AI less than a second. "Spartan Mike-B312 is being held in custody at the New York City military base. He is awaiting transportation to a UNSC security facility in Melbourne Australia. Charge is disobeying a direct order from his area commander."

"Thank you Niccolo," Spanner replied. "Place a call to my personal lawyer, Lawrence Millstein.

"Already connecting," Niccolo responded in a genuinely shocked voice as Spanner Misriah had never thanked the AI for anything in the past.

It didn't take long for the Misriah's personal attorney to pick up.

"Larry, we've got a situation here," Spanner stated getting to the point. "I need the best lawyer you know with military law experience. Who do you have?"

It took the seasoned and connected lawyer about 15 seconds to respond since he had to get over the shock of the question. He was aware of Misriah Armory's trouble with the government and had been working on the defense plan. This caught him off guard though he quickly regained his faculties. "Peter Slack, Spanner. He's ex UNSC JAG and a terror in the court room. The guy's a Pitbull. I'm forwarding his personal number now."

"Thanks Larry, I owe you."

"No problem Spanner," Millstein responded tentatively, wondering if it really was Spanner Misriah on the line. "If you need anything else, let me know."

The head of Misriah Armory had already tabled the other issue in his mind and then placed a call to the recommended lawyer who immediately took an interest in the case having heard of Mike-B312 then becoming angry at what he found out. Slack pledged to take the case and visit Mike as soon as he could.

There was one more call to place.

Rather than use Niccolo he dismissed the Smart AI himself. Using an encrypted device he punched the code in and waited for a response.

"Tell him this is Golf 51979," Spanner declared to the person at the other end who was trying to deflect the call. Receiving a satisfactory reply after a pause he added, "Yes, I'll wait."

"Spanner, I'm a bit busy right now," Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood stated a bit testily on the other end of the line.

"I wouldn't call you if this wasn't important," Spanner stated, ignoring the tone in the seasoned veteran. "This concerns a key UNSC asset, Spartan Mike-B312.

"The Lone Wolf from Noble Team?" Hood asked, now curious about the call. "Wasn't he on Mars?"

Yes, he was. He saved my daughter's life, again, and countless others," Spanner declared.

"I'm glad to hear that Spanner," Hood responded genuinely since the two had known each other for years and even had a degree of friendship, "I truly am. There are few happy stories or outcomes these days. But I know you didn't call to tell me that. What's on your mind?"

"Mike disobeyed a direct order to do it."

Natalia noted that her father had called him 'Mike' which touched her deeply.

"Well, Spartans have been known to be unconventional in their methods," Hood acknowledged thinking of the legendary Master Chief, "but I'm happy for the outcome."

"Yes, me too, but he's been arrested and is being held in custody here in New York," Spanner informed the senior UNSC officer, trying to keep him voice level.

"He was arrested for that?" Hood asked, finding it hard to believe. "Right after Mars?"

"That's why I'm calling Terrence."

"Well that a damned shame and a foolish move as far as I'm concerned but also a personnel matter and another commander's business," Hood declared though with regret in his voice. "I met him on one of our ODPs when he was just back from Reach. Good man, good operator."

"But you see it's not just a personnel matter," Spanner began to counter, anticipating the response from the by-the-book officer. "None other than John-117 has done as much. They're perhaps our most effective asset right now operationally. But that's not all," the wily industrialist cut off the admiral, "And even more important he's key for morale. You should see the responses up here to him in the press and social media. He shouldn't be out of the game for something like this."

"Hmmm," the tactically-thinking commander thought. "You make a good point. Let me look into this."

**November 13, 2552, 1445 Hours, UNSC HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

"What is it Serin?" Admiral Parangosky asked her aide who entered the CINCONI's opulent office unscheduled and with a look of concern on her face.

"Ma'am, Spanner Misriah has contracted Peter R. Slack to be the Lone Wolf's attorney," Captain Osman reported, getting right to the point.

"Is that Slack as in Colonel Slack, the head prosecutor for the UNSC JAG Corp?" Parangosky asked, working hard to not show her surprise at the development.

"Correct, ma'am," Osman confirmed. "He retired two years ago and is one of the top lawyers in America right now. He's had the Spartan's transfer here stayed already, that's how I found out."

Admiral Parangosky swore under her breath but kept her cool. "And can we not instead force him to have military counsel?"

"Negative, ma'am, Slack's already filed an injunction with the JAG and received intervener status on behalf of Mike-B312," the aide answered.

"How'd he become involved?" the head of ONI asked testily.

"Uncertain at this point," Osman admitted. "I can dig deeper and find out."

"So be it, leave it for now," Parangosky answered calmly but with an underlying anger at having her scheme thwarted. Still, the cagey woman's mind was already moving in another direction. "Continue to monitor the situation but we move on to other things." For the scheming woman this was nothing more than a distraction from the pressures of the war effort, an opportunity to extend her reach and seek to exert control. She had other irons in other fires.

**November 13, 2552, 1445 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"Ruwan, man, are you paying attention?"

"What?" Ruwan Ackerson answered absently, showing he wasn't.

Rich Graffi, a fellow concierge at the posh Hilton Cleveland Downtown, poked his friend. "I said, did you see the new act they've booked in?"

"No," Ruwan mumbled, still not paying attention.

"She's hot," Rich noticed it too but tried to distract his stocky, dark-haired friend who'd been through much lately. "Name's Myras Tyla. Apparently she plays a pretty mean styllight. But I also heard that's not all she's got going for her, if you know what I mean?" he leered and winked.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Man, are you still thinking about New Mombasa?" Rich asked, his tone becoming more serious. Ruwan Ackerson has been in the city for a short while, having escaped the attack on the city by the Covenant, returning to the city he'd grown up in.

"No, I'm not. Sorry for being spaced out," Ruwan apologized, his brown eyes turning sad at the memory as he ran his fingers through his blue-black hair. "I'm thinking about my big brother. I haven't heard from him for quite a while."

"The army officer, right?"

"Yea, well he was on Mars."

"Oh, damn dude," Graffi made the connection instantly. "I'm sorry. Do you know…"

"No, nothing yet," Ruwan answered, lips pursed. "I haven't heard from him since the Covvies attacked. I do know they've evacced the planet but things are pretty crazy now. I just hope he's okay.

"I'm sure he is," Rich tried to encourage his friend. "He works with Spartans, right? They'll get him out a jam."

"I hope so, but even Master Chief couldn't save Mombasa from being levelled," Ruwan answered sadly.

"Ackerson," the hotel manager barked, "get back to you post, we've got a group coming in."

Ruwan sighed and hoped the activity would help distract him but he couldn't help but wonder what his brother Colonel James Ackerson was doing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**November 14, 2552, 1000 Hours, CSS-class Battlecruiser ****_Furious Redemption_****, in orbit over planet Mars**

It had now been nearly three days since Lepidus had prepared to head to the human planet Earth and the Jiralhanae chieftain was growing impatient. The prophet Minister of Inquisition had not only halted his plans to take over the campaign but then had gotten involved in finite matters of planning.

"How much longer do we wait?" Mygaeum, the second in command of the battlecruiser and confidant of the shipmaster huffed as the latest planning meeting with the San'Shyuum ended.

"I don't know," the dark brown furred Brute sighed audibly. "As long as our esteemed leader decides." He too was extremely frustrated. His scheme to rise to power had been brilliantly executed during the campaign on Mars but now it seemed he was being shackled anew. He'd endured the humiliation of having to serve under the Elites for years but now with supremacy so close at hand he would not be so patient. "Bring me the human prisoner."

A short time later Colonel James Ackerson was dragged onto the command bridge before the shipmaster. Though battered, bloodied and bruised the UNSC Army officer still had a look of defiance in his one eye that had not closed up.

"Tell me again about the relic," Lepidus growled.

"I've told you all this before," Ackerson responded in exasperation. He'd been allowed little sleep or anything to eat the last two days. Still though, a spark of independence lingered in the man.

"Then tell me again!" Lepidus bellowed, raising his massive paw to backhand the smaller human.

Ackerson winced in anticipation of the blow so yelled, "Okay, okay, there's no need for that."

Lepidus relaxed and the Brutes around their commander laughed derisively at their captive.

"I know you're looking to fire the Halo Array," Ackerson began, glad to not be beaten again.

"Halo Array?" Lepidus asked, testing the human officer. "Explain."

"That's what we call your Sacred Ring," Ackerson explained, trying to maintain an even tone and not antagonize his captors. "It won't activate properly without a key. We found it. It's called the Key of Osanalan."

"And where is this key?" Lepidus demanded.

"I told you that already." Another raised hand from the Brute had Ackerson raise his own as a shield. "In the city of Cleveland, in our United States of America."

"And how would you worms know about these things, and let alone find it?"

"We're not as ignorant as you think," Ackerson retorted. "We have scientists who've studied such things. And as for finding them, aren't your own Prophets now searching Earth for these exact things?"

The clever ploy drew the ambitious chieftain in.

"And you can show me on our charts where this Cleveland is?" Lepidus demanded.

"I can but aren't there others of the Covenant already searching for this?"

It worked.

"That is none of your concern." Then the shipmaster turned to the Jiralhanae guards and ordered, "Take him back and feed him for his co-operation."

As Ackerson was led away the Brutes all looked at their chieftain.

"So what are we going to do?" Mygaeum asked for the rest.

A low rumble emanated from Lepidus as he pondered the same thing. "The worm speaks truth though he doesn't know it. There are others searching for this key. Our victory is inevitable so we need to look beyond it. Whoever possesses it will wield incredible power in the new order. It's time for action."

"Then…," the shrewd second in command prompted.

"Then we must get to it first," Lepidus answered, his wide maw opening in a toothy grin. "And I think I know how to ensure we're the ones to go get it."

The others on the bridge nodded in approval at the confidence of their wily leader.

"Open a channel to the illustrious minister," Lepidus ordered his communications officer, "it's time we get away from this rock."

**November 14, 2552, 1025 Hours, New York Military Operations Center, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

"You're free to go, Mike," Peter Slack announced, ignoring the MP who'd opened the door to the Lone Wolf's cell.

"Just like that?" Mike asked, stunned by the confident declaration.

"Just like that," the poised lawyer replied, adjusting his wire glasses.

"But what about the charge against me?" Mike asked, still processing the unexpected news. He'd been stewing in his cell that morning wondering how his team was doing and Natalia as well.

"They've been reduced to a verbal reprimand and notation in your Personnel File," Slack responded, then added angrily, "which is what it should have been in the first place." He glared at the guard who looked away awkwardly.

"How could this happen?" Mike said to himself, processing the welcome news, then looking at the expensive lawyer said, "I don't know what to say. How can I ever thank you, sir?" Mike stated genuinely.

"No Mike, its humanity and I who should be thanking you," Slack countered emphatically.

"Sir?"

"Listen son, I was UNSC JAG before going into private practice and so I'd heard about you. Since I've left your name came up after Reach," Slack looked at the Spartan with a strange intensity. "But in preparing to be your counsel I found out just how much you've done for us. So how could I not want to help? You're making a difference." The powerful lawyer then relaxed and he added with a twinkle in his eyes, "And as for the how, well, let's just say I had some help."

"Who has that kind of power?" Mike asked.

"Fleet Admiral Lord Hood."

"Admiral Hood spoke for me?" the stunned Spartan exclaimed.

"One and the same. As I've been told, he found out about this situation and made a call to local command and General Sheridan, who knew nothing about the charge, I might add," Slack explained.

"If he didn't issue the charge, who did?"

"Likely ONI."

"Why would they be interested in me?" Mike asked as his tactical mind started processing the surprising news. He remembered Natalia was an ONI officer who'd worked for the commander of the manipulative branch of the military. Instead of carrying on with that thread of thought he changed to asking the lawyer, "So then who do you think made the call to the admiral?"

"I don't know for sure but I suspect the same person who retained me to look after you," Slack surmised.

"Mr. Misriah did that for me?" Mike couldn't help but be surprised by the declaration.

"You seem to have a powerful friend, Mike," Slack answered back. "Now let's get you cleared out of here and back to your unit."

In less than twenty minutes the efficient lawyer walked Mike through the out-clearance process and he was standing outside of the brig enjoying a sunny fall day. In contrast to when he'd been brought in everyone in the Military Police facility bent over backwards to help him get out. Times had changed.

Mike took a deep breath, enjoying the feeling. Being caged in a jail was a new

experience that had been unsettling for the Spartan.

"Thank you, sir," Mike said, touched by the effort others had put in on his behalf.  
"You'll find your team in building 5 Delta. I expect they'll be happy to see you." Slack answered, ignoring the proud supersoldier's obvious discomfort but then became serious. "Humanity owes you a debt Mike. It might not seem like it but what you're doing is making a difference."

"I don't do it for that," Mike answered a bit coldly, misunderstanding the lawyer.

"I know that, Mike," the intuitive lawyer responded patiently. "But it still needs to be said and you still need to hear it. A lot was taken from you Spartans; it's time we at least start to give our thanks."

Mike avoided the steady gaze of the lawyer but nodded his head as he processed the information. So much had changed for him in the past few months. He'd gone from the Lone Wolf, an emotionless killing machine to discovering his abilities to feel and even experience love on Reach. On Mars he'd learned to be part of a team, no, it was more, they were a family. Now he listened to the obviously smart and connected man tell him he was actually leaving a legacy of his own due to his actions; that people not only knew but cared. Mike Nantz knew now he was not the product of some perverse fate but had choices. More than that, he now knew he had more to live for.

"We need to both get back to work, Mike," Slack broke the silence, signalling it was time for each to return to the reality of their lives.

"Can we win?" Mike asked, not prepared quite yet to leave the realm of his previous thoughts.

"That I don't know. I hope and pray we do and there's always hope. We humans are a stubborn species," Slack said with a chuckle. "But you're making a difference, know that and know you have a friend in me." Slack held out a business card. "You need anything, ask. Good luck."

"Thank you sir," Mike replied, "for everything." He was genuinely touched by the effort and sentiment taking the offered business card.

The two parted ways with a handshake and after Mike stopped to ask the location where his team was made his way through the expanding base. Even in his non-descript black BDUs people seemed to notice him. No one spoke directly but the perceptive operator could see the lingering looks, whispered conversations and subtly pointed fingers. In the past this would have irritated him but now he realized he bore a weight of responsibility yet strangely it didn't bother him, it motivated him. It seemed as if he was embarking on the new journey of creating his own legacy.

After a short walk Mike arrived at the barracks and walked into the one he was looking for. He climbed the stairs three at a time rather than wait for the elevator. The closer he got to his team the more urgent his desire to see them.

Coming into the hallway he could hear them already talking away in what was likely a common room. With a growing sense of urgency to reconnect Mike actually trotted down the hallway and into the room.

"Sir!" the young Spartans exploded as they saw their team leader.

"Mike!" The first one to greet him was Alissa, the team's sniper, who enveloped him in a massive hug.

The action caused the rest of the team to pause and look in wonder at their team member who'd often been overly aggressive and erratic but had never shown any physical affection.

"What?" Alissa declared to the rest, face reddening in embarrassment. "We're a family."

_We're a family._

Mike burst out into a wide grin and returned the hug affectionately while the rest of the team crowded in. Each of the teenage Spartans peppered him with questions so he was able to answer none of them.

"Okay, okay," Mike called out raising his hand to get order. "I'll tell you all about it but first of all I need to know, how's Adam?"

"Recovering," Maia answered, "but he's still likely a couple weeks away from full recovery."

Guilt welled up anew in Mike, choking out the joy he felt at the reunion. "Guys, I'm so sorry I got you into this whole mess. I…"

"The guy sure didn't learn anything in the brig, did he?" a familiar voice chided him.

"Mel!" Mike exclaimed, turning to look at his friend and former teammate who came into the room.

"In person," she did a slight curtsy then slid over and gave Mike a big hug which he spontaneously returned.

The rest of the team smiled in approval, happy to be back together again.

"You're still here?" Mike asked, letting go of his former Beta company teammate, a bit uncomfortable with how long she'd held on.

"Yea, things are still pretty fluid," the striking Spartan with a distinct white streak in her black hair answered, smirking as she perceived his thoughts. "Chain of command is getting reset but I suspect I'll be off to Africa soon. That's where the action is."

"For the time being," Matt, the team's aggressive assaulter interjected dryly.

"Yea, well it's not here now, Mr. Doom and Gloom," Terrell, the Wolf Pack's machine gunner cut him off.

The others, Matt included, laughed and changed the subject from the reality of politics and war to the more enjoyable topic of reconnecting. It was a blissful thirty minutes before they were interrupted.

"Lieutenant Commander Mike," an orderly entered in, "you're asked to report to the Command Center immediately."

"So much for reunion time," Alissa grumbled. "Guess word's gotten out command got over their bout of stupidity and let you go.

"Alissa," Mike cautioned.

"Not hatin' just statin'," the volatile sniper stated, hands raised in mock surrender.

"Looks like we'll finally find out what's going on," Matt declared with a sigh of relief, changing the subject.

Mike followed the orderly to the center of the bustling base and into the operations building that housed the command team. The Spartan was ushered into a dark room on the second floor lit by tactical maps and readouts to stand before an officer in green BDUs with salt and pepper hair who had his back to him then turned at hearing his arrival.

"Colonel Holland!" Mike exclaimed in shock at the sight of his former handler.

"Good to see you son." Other than having a few more wrinkles on his forehead and more grey in his brown hair than before Urban Holland, the former commanding officer over Noble Team, looked good.

"I thought you…."

"Died on Reach?" Holland responded with a twinkle in his eye. "So did everyone else. It's a long story for another time." Then the Special Ops commander got serious. "I've read your file since then. You've been busy."

"Yes Sir."

"And you formed a new team? The Wolf Pack?" Holland stated more than asked.

"Yes sir, Colonel Ackerson organized it," Mike answered, unsure where this was going.

"You did outstanding work on Mars but the fights here now, on EARTH," Holland emphasized. "So we need you and your team back in action. I have authorization from CENTCOM to reform Special Warfare Group Three and you're going to be the anchor of it."

"You're reforming it? Mike asked, caught off guard by the declaration. "Without Noble Team?"

"SPECWARCOM fully backs it. Losing Noble Team was a damn shame," Holland confessed, his dark brown eyes suddenly becoming a bit glassy, "And who better to be part of it than you and your team?"

"What about Colonel Ackerson?" Mike countered, mind starting to reel at the prospects. "We'd reported his apparent movement by the Covenant when we assaulted Tricode Village."

"Yes, I saw that," Holland confirmed. "It's been looked into and he's missing and presumed dead. The old Mars ORBAT had been dissolved. All the units that got off are being rolled into new ones."

"Okay, that makes sense." Mike's face then turned dark. "But what about General Sheridan and my arrest? At the very least that should cast a shadow over my leadership and command abilities."

"No issues there, Mike," Holland shook his head to emphasize the point. "It was only done in his name, he didn't even know about it." The senior officer paused as if trying to contain his anger. "None of this should have happened. What you did didn't warrant an arrest. There seems to be a bigger agenda going on here that had nothing to do with supporting the war effort."

"Well then who filed it?" Mike asked, stunned by the news knowing already after his conversation with Peter Slack.

"It was ONI."

"ONI? Why them?" Mike asked, frustrated he seemed to be caught in some game he didn't understand.

"Who knows with ONI?" Holland shrugged his shoulders. "They always seem to have their own agenda and it doesn't always fit with what the rest of the UNSC is doing. Anyways, that's irrelevant right now since Admiral Hood is the one who cleared you. Bottom line is son there's nothing holding you back from jumping back in."

Mike was still shocked by the whole revelation and filed a thought away in his mind to talk to Natalia about all this since instinctively he had the feeling she had some part of it.

"So, what do you think, Mike?" the no-nonsense colonel got right to the point.

"We're your team, sir," Mike answered emphatically.

"Outstanding! Prep then to leave for Africa. That's where the fight is and we need you there. You have 48 hours R&R and then we're heading for Kenya," Holland confirmed.

"And what about Adam, my 2IC?" Mike asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Adam-G040 will transport with us," the colonel confirmed. "It's going to take us a bit of time to get online once we're there and he should be operational in a week or two. It'll all work out."

"Glad to have you back, sir," Mike was impressed anew at the seasoned officer's ability and attention to details.

"Glad to be back Spartan, we're going to give 'em hell!" Holland answered genuinely. Then his tone dropped. "We need to buy time. Your mission to save Cortana from Reach is looking to pay some big dividends for us if the information I'm hearing from Command is accurate. But we need to buy them time to figure it out."

"Wait a second," Mike interrupted in confusion. "I thought Cortana was lost with the _Pillar of Autumn_?"

"Oh, you likely didn't hear," Holland began, a smile brightening up his usually solemn face. "The _Autumn _made a blind slipspace jump and ended up in some uncharted territory so we lost contact. The Covvies followed them and it looked bad. They came upon some kind of ring in space, apparently it was pretty ancient. Anyways, I wasn't briefed in on all those details. But the Master Chief was on the _Autumn_."

"The Master Chief?" Mike asked, stunned at the news.

"Long story short, the Chief got her out and was able to bring her back. Apparently the information Cortana was carrying was huge, a real game changer."

"Then our mission on Reach…," Mike's voice dropped, stunned by the revelation and barely able to believe what he was hearing.

"Was a smashing success," Holland confirmed, coming over to put a hand on Mike's shoulder. "The cost was high, I know that but I hope you can see yours and Noble Team's sacrifices were worth it. You may have helped save humanity."

The Special Ops commander suddenly seemed uncomfortable with the growing emotion so giving Mike a pat on the back he looked at his time piece and changed directions. "Listen, I've got a bunch of stuff to prep for our departure so I'll talk to you soon. Your orders and all the necessary paperwork have been uploaded but if you think of anything you're going to need let me know. We'll connect again later in the day and begin to finalize our plan. In the meantime, enjoy some downtime, you've earned it."

The colonel walked out of the room leaving Mike with his thoughts.

_It wasn't for nothing_, the often troubled Spartan thought to himself. _It WAS worth it. Everything we went through…Kat, Jorge and especially Carter and Emile... It wasn't a waste_.

A new and unfamiliar idea entered his head, one he wasn't sure he'd ever felt: hope.

Like a volcano about to erupt Mike felt the emotions begin to build up in the recesses of his spirit, from deep down they began to well up and threaten to overwhelm him. His shoulders began to convulse as the first wave hit like a plasma blast and tears began to spill from his eyes. There's something to fight for. This life isn't some cruel game played by a Maker who jerks us around. There's purpose in what we do, even our suffering and loss. It may not be evident initially but then like the clouds lifting they reveal what's always been there- sunlight

It was worth it because it gave hope.

So overwhelmed by the thoughts and emotions was the supersoldier he had to sit down. This shed everything from the past couple of months in a new light. There was hope. Yes, they were still in a desperate struggle for survival but it was no longer a forgone conclusion. There was hope and something worth fighting for. And Mike Nantz, the keeper of a seemingly impossible to live up to legacy, Spartan Mike-B312, would fight for that.

There was one more thing he needed to do right away, Mike reminded himself. Pulling out his communication device he punched in the number from memory. "Tali, yea, it's me. When can I see you?"

Yes, Mike intended to build his new legacy, no longer fearing it or seeing it as a curse. The people needed hope and they now had a chance. He planned to do his part to do both. But just not right away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**November 14, 2552, 1425 Hours, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

"Daddy, it's Mike," Natalia shouted to her father.

"Where is he? Is he okay?" Spanner Misriah asked, a sense of urgency tinging his usually stoic demeanor. He'd talked to Peter Slack and gotten the lawyer's assurance but he'd also suspected the Office of Naval Intelligence had been behind the arrest so left nothing to chance.

"He's out, he's been released," Natalia cried, tears welling up in her deep emerald green eyes. "He's seen his team and everything's okay." The woman seemed ready to explode in excitement. "When can we see him?"

"Whenever he's available, sweetheart," Spanner confirmed, liking the sound of being affectionate with his beloved daughter. "I can send a car for him as soon as he wants."

"Mike? When are you able to come? Daddy has a car standing by to come and get you," Natalia asked trying to mask the urgency in her voice. After a brief pause her face exploded in delight. "He says in an hour! He's sent the pickup co-ordinates."

Spanner Misriah called his driver and then their personal chef. As he watched his daughter skip around the room in delight he caught himself in the mirror doing something he hadn't seen himself do in years. He was smiling in delight himself.

Back at the bustling base Mike mirrored the same delighted smile that filled the face of Spanner Misriah. He walked back to the barracks blocks with a renewed spring in his step to get ready for an event he'd first dreaded and now looked forward to. He was certain Natalia's father had been working behind the scenes to keep them apart but lately the billionaire military industrialist seemed to have a change of heart. Regardless, they were going to be together.

The Spartan's thoughts were interrupted by a UNSC Army officer in fatigues walking in the opposite direction towards him.

"Good afternoon, sir," Mike threw up a crisp salute to Colonel Ed Toliver.

"Well, good to see you, Mike," the armor officer returned the salute. "Did you enjoy the hospitality of the brig?" he added with a wink.

"Food wasn't bad and it was nice to get some rest but the view left a lot to be desired," Mike shot back.

"Should never have come to that," Toliver harrumphed, "that was a total overreaction."

"Thanks sir," Mike answered.

"Don't get me wrong, that was a damned reckless thing you did back on Mars, Spartan. And yanking the chain of command is not right either," Toliver declared, but then his face turned into a mischievous grin, "but I'm glad you pulled it off."

"Thank you for allowing me the opportunity, sir," Mike responded genuinely. "I hope you didn't get into too much trouble over it."

"Bah," Toliver dismissed the concern with a wave. "What choice did I have with a group of pig-headed Spartans?"

That elicited a chuckle from Mike. "That's true enough, sir." Then changing topics and becoming serious and asked, "So what's happening to you and your command?"

"Not sure yet," the experienced officer confessed. "Most of my boys from 8th Armored made it off Mars, thank God, but not too many of our vehicles." He sighed heavily. "Hated to leave them for those bastards so we torched 'em all."

Mike noted the look of sadness in the proud man. "Undefeated," he said simply.

"Say again?" Toliver asked in confusion.

"Undefeated. Your brigade was undefeated in battle so that was a fitting tribute to your tools of victory."

Hmmm, never thought of it that way, thanks, that helps," the armor officer responded. "It was good serving with you Spartan, an honor."

"The honor was mine, sir, and I owe you two now."

"For what?"

"For letting me go on my mission and also for pulling us out of Losantiville," Mike answered, referring to the time Toliver had bent the rules himself to bring an armored column to save the Wolf Pack and Wolverines who'd been on a desperate rear guard action.

"Well, the one you more than paid back and the other you earned," Toliver stated genuinely. "What you do makes a difference. The troops see that and it helps them as well. I don't say this to pressure you but rather so you know that what you do matters. Hope to see you again."

The two shook hands and Colonel Toliver continued on his way leaving Mike to stand alone and ponder anew what he'd been thinking about in the brig, about the idea of influence and legacy. He'd been so focused on what he was doing he never stopped to think the choices he was making every day mattered. Yet he'd heard that from Peter Slack and now from Colonel Toliver. Even Mandy had talked before about his 'reputation'. Mike didn't think of himself as a hero, and wasn't looking for glory, but it did raise his spirits to know that what he was doing made a difference not only in a material sense but in terms of the lives around him. Maybe legacy wasn't a bad thing after all.

**November 15, 2552, 1435 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

Cleveland Ohio sits on the south shore of Lake Erie. A city now with a population over 4 million was ffounded by General Moses Cleveland and a team of surveyors in 1796 near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. It became a manufacturing center due to its location on both the river side and the lake shore, as well as being connected to numerous canals and railroad lines. Cleveland's economy grew from there over the centuries to rely on diversified sectors such as manufacturing, financial services and healthcare. With an architecturally pleasing downtown and a diversity of entertainment and cultural options it became an important city in the United States. But Cleveland really had a renaissance in the 24th century with massive building programs as prosperity grew. Into the 2500's it continued to grow but surprisingly not at all through military production which bucked the trend of many other growing cities. No, outside a small Marine base for reserve units the nearly 800-year old city had not been touched by war. That was why perhaps many people came to live there. As the metropolitan area grew the original city that had changed little since the 21st century became known as 'Old Town' as a new and modern metropolis grew around it. Now in 2552 it was a bustling civilian center far removed from the troubles of the war, the perfect place for someone trying to forget to return to and try to live in peace.

All this history was lost on Ruwan Ackerson. There were no thoughts of history, politics or economics, this was simply home. This was the place he'd grown up and played with his brother James who was now missing and presumed dead. Still, it was a good place to go to try to get away from the horrors he'd seen trying to live the life of adventure. Instead he wanted to live at peace. At this moment though the active young man was trying hard not to stare at the famous singer who was talking to him. Unfortunately for Ruwan he was losing this battle though the prospect was not unappealing.

Myras Tyla not only had striking features accentuated by the black-gray lipstick she wore but the swirling face tattoo she had on her forehead rather than repulse made her look more exotic and sensual. Her jet black hair was cut short and the multi-colored tank top that hung low on her shoulder accentuated her physical features while the matching short shorts and knee high boots seemed out of place for mid-November on the banks of Lake Erie. But then the entertainer was dressing to attract and she'd certainly done that with the young concierge. A slight smile of victory framed her face as she knew she'd accomplished what she'd sought out to do.

"I'd be happy to take care of that for you, miss, if you'd like," Ruwan spoke to her request, losing the battle to not stare and finally deciding to not care.

"Aren't you a darling," the entertainer purred, putting her hand on his shoulder for emphasis. In reality the request had been irrelevant, she'd simply wanted to flirt with the solidly built man at the concierge desk.

"It would be my pleasure," Ruwan replied enthusiastically, liking the feel of her hand on him and the intense look she returned.

_Boom, boom-boom_

The sound, like thunder in the distance caught the attention of everyone in the lobby of the Hilton Cleveland Downtown.

"What was that?" Myras asked in surprise.

"I don't know," Ruwan answered, "maybe thunder," he mused, hoping he was right but fearing what he thought was really going on. The young man was no longer distracted by the attractive singer before him but instead was being taken in by a growing fear since it was a crisp, cloudless November day.

This was no thunder storm.

Others in the hotel lobby were looking around and several were asking the same thing. Then none seemed to know what the strange wailing sound starting to fill the air meant in the sounds wake but Ruwan did. He'd heard it before in New Mombasa.

"Air raid!" he yelled. "We're under attack. Everyone to the stairs and to the basement."

No one moved for a moment but then the sound of an explosion in the distance and the sensation of the ground shaking caused an instantaneous response as people panicked and ran not for the stair but for the exists.

Cleveland was under Covenant attack.

**November 15, 2552, 1940 Hours, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

Mike pushed the hand-carved oak dining chair back from the equally finely crafted table and let out a sigh of satisfaction. The Spartan couldn't remember ever having such a fine meal in recent memory and in truth he'd never likely dined so well. Natalia sat as close beside him as the wide chair would allow and her hand casually rested on his thigh. Mike was still finding himself distracted by the sight of the woman in civilian dress. She's always looked good in uniform but in form-fitting jeans, knee high leather boots and a tight denim top with three buttons undone she looked absolutely stunning. Between the lavish meal and the gorgeous woman he didn't need more than one glass of wine for his head to be swimming. Natalia took it all in and gazed at him with a look of joy as Spanner Misriah sat opposite the pair with a look of contentment on his face.

"Mr. Misriah, that's the best meal I think I ever had, thank you," Mike declared genuinely, finely able to find the ability to speak.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it but I have to confess I had some help with the menu," the billionaire said giving his daughter a wink. "Truly, it's the least I could do for you."

"I also want to thank you again for getting Mr. Slack to help me, sir, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped."

"You saved my daughter's life, more than once I understand," Spanner answered, voice becoming husky as he turned away with a far off look on his face. "I'd do anything for her, and would do anything for you. I'd forgotten that for a season, maybe I'd chosen to, but I remember that now. God help me for the time I wasted but that will never happen again."

"Thanks, dad," Natalia gushed.

"Well it means a lot, sir," Mike said, taking it all in. "But can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, and please, call me Spanner."

"Okay," Mike appreciated the sentiment even if he wasn't ready to go there. "How were you able to get Admiral Hood to intervene in my case?"

"You heard about that did you?" Spanner asked, seeing Mike nod in agreement. "Well my position has certain privileges but I've known Terrence since he was a simple commander. We've been friends since. Honestly, it wasn't hard. When he found out what was going on, and to whom, he decided to look into it."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Mike," Spanner replied but then he got a serious look on his face and moved in closer across the table to ensure he had the Spartan's attention. "Listen, you can likely tell I was less than thrilled when I found out about you and Natalia and I did everything I could to keep the two of you apart." He held up his hand to stop Natalia who was about to interject. "Honestly, I'm still getting my head around all this stuff but I'm trying. The idea of my daughter and a Spartan takes some getting used to,"

"Fair enough," Mike answered soberly, "I guess it's kind of like getting used to the idea of being with a billionaire's daughter."

Spanner Misriah sat back and laughed deep from his belly his head rising up to look at the expensive cut glass chandelier. "Touché, Mike, and point well taken. I meant no judgment in what I said."

"I didn't either," Mike shot back, standing his ground and no longer intimidated.

Natalia held her breath, fearing a clash between the two proud and powerful men.

Spanner said nothing but leaned in close again, looking attentively at Mike and thinking deeply. "You really are a remarkable man, Mike," he finally stated, "and terribly misunderstood I think."

"How so?" Mike asked, aggression tabled by his curiosity at the strange statement.

"My business is the military, Mike, equipment, you know that," Spanner began, trying to articulate his own jumbled thoughts. "So I know that business and even I missed it about you Spartans."

"What did you miss?" Mike asked quietly, being drawn in.

"That while you may be supersoldiers and some believe the hope of humanity you're still men and women who have feelings and dare I say hopes and dreams. A great injustice was done to you in the name of the war effort but some of it I think was just about advancement. I never thought of that and so judged you wrong."

"What are you saying?" Natalia asked, unable to stay silent any longer.

"What I'm saying to you Mike and to the two of you is that I see you and what you have in a different light," Spanner declared.

"So what does that mean?" Mike asked, intrigued by the unusual conversation they were having.

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself," Spanner chuckled, "and if you ask my daughter I suspect she'll agree this is a highly unusual thing for me.

Natalia nodded her head in agreement and chuckled as well.

"I almost lost the most precious thing to me Mike, and you brought her back to me," Spanner said, his voice dropping and avoiding any eye contact. "I'd forgotten for a time, caught up in building a business at first and then I think I chose to forget. I finally realized this after Reach but then you went to Mars," Spanner turned his focus from the Spartan now to Natalia who looked at him wide-eyed. "I thought I lost you" he repeated but now with open emotion etching his face. "I thought I was too late…and then you brought her home to me. I'll never be able to repay that debt."

"You owe me nothing," Mike responded, not with malice but truth, "and honestly I did it for me and not for you."

"See, that's my point," Spanner came back, more forcefully, "you defied orders, you seek nothing for it. You did it because of how you feel about Natalia and that means something."

"What does that mean?" Mike asked, his own breath short as he was drawn in.

"That you're more than a killing machine or tool of the UNSC to be used indiscriminately. You're not disposable soldiers but PEOPLE with value and I for one will do what I can to be sure people know that."

"Thank you, sir, that means a lot," Mike responded, his own voice thick with emotion as Natalia spontaneously grabbed his hand. "This is something I've struggled with myself, so that means a lot."

An awkward pause ensued until Spanner reclaimed control of his emotions. "Anyways, enough of this heavy talk, let's have some fun."

A while later Spanner left the two alone to do some work which gave Natalia the opportunity to take Mike outside onto the deck of their home overlooking Central Park.

"Quite the night," Mike commented, absently looking over the sparkling lights of the city.

"I've never seen daddy like that before," Natalia added, pressing in close to him.

"Not surprising," Mike responded with a shrug, enjoying the feeling of her body close to his. "Seems like he's been doing a lot of thinking and then thought he was too late to make things right."

"You really are amazing, Mike."

"Why?"

"Because after everything he did to keep us apart you have no malice towards him," Natalia answered, giving his arm a squeeze.

"Well, I don't likely know the half of what he did and I've been doing a lot of thinking myself lately about all this so I guess I can appreciate where he's coming from. I suspect we all have our legacies to bear," Mike answered honestly.

"What do you mean, Mike?" she asked, confused by the statement.

"Nothing, it's just something that's been rattling around in my mind. That's for another time."

The night air was crisp and small puffs of breath came out from the couple as they stood in silence. Natalia moistened her lips and opened them slightly, looking longing at Mike.

"Finally alone," she said huskily, feeling the time for talk had ended and for action had come. Closing her eyes she grabs his head and pulled it towards her mouth.

For Mike's part he agreed. He'd spent enough time taking and thinking of late and now wanted to feel. He leaned down in anticipation, licking his lips in preparation.

Mike's communication device went off.

"Damn!" Mike cursed, angry at the interruption since few have his number.

"Who is it?" Natalia demanded angrily, the moment stolen. Trying to pull his face to hers she ordered, "Just ignore it."

"Can't, it's the duty officer on the base," Mike answered, noting her irritation. "This is Lieutenant Commander Mike," he answered. After a pause he said simply, "Understood. I'm on my way back."

"What now?" Natalia asked.

"I have to go right away," Mike answered, his light tone shifting to serious. "Can you get your father to get his car?

"You have to leave now? We're finally alone!" Natalia asked in exasperation. "What's so important that it has to interrupt your R&R?"

"The United States has been attacked," Mike answered, jaw squared and scar flaring white.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**November 15, 2552, 1435 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

The Covenant attack came without warning. One moment it was a normal day in the city the next the war for humanity that had touched so many other planets over the years came to the idyllic place in America. Wave after wave of Phantom troop carriers from the Fleet of Furious Redemption dropped hundreds of soldiers in the initial wave. The invasion caught the small UNSC Marine battalion stationed in the city off guard so they were quickly overwhelmed. Colonial Militia troops mustered as quickly as they could but the assault was so quick only a fraction of those available were able to answer the call. Despite the shock those not able to join their units armed themselves, organized and fought back against the invasion as best they could. Though caught off guard all had heard about Reach and what was going on in Africa currently. All knew what was in store if they lost their city so none were going to allow it to passively happen.

On the Covenant side, Shipmaster Lepidus sent his trusted advisor Mygaeum to lead the invasion to ensure nothing went wrong. With the full endorsement of the Minister of Inquisition the ambitious Jiralhanae chieftain wanted no others to have a chance at the Key of Osanalan.

"Shipmaster, all is proceeding according to plans," Mygaeum relayed to Lepidus who took reports on their ship over the whine on Phantom troop carriers coming and going. After the initial attack all had gone well and according to plan. Now consolidating their position the Brute-led infantry assault was being reinforced with ground-support vehicles and a wing of Banshee fighters.

"Good, what is your status?" Lepidus asked from the _Triumphant Declaration_, impatience evident in his voice. He'd chosen to remain on his ship and conduct the initial stages of the assault there rather than transfer to the _Harbinger of Piety_ which had now become the flagship of the fleet. The less time he spent with the San'Shyuum Prophet, the Minister of Inquisition, the better.

"We have our staging area secured and are moving out to engulf the city. Our casualties have been light so far," the second in command answered.

"I don't care about that," Lepidus growled. "Have you any information about the Key?"

"No sir," Mygaeum answered, masking his dismay at the ambitious shipmaster's contemptuous comment. "But things are progressing well," he reiterated.

"But when do you expect information on the Key," Lepidus pressed.

"It's a large city, shipmaster," Mygaeum tried to explain, "it will take time. Plus your order to minimize human casualties makes things more difficult."

"Fine," the Brute chieftain responded with a huff, catching the note of frustration in his closest advisors voice. The Jiralhanae silently chided himself for his impatience. He'd never been one to rush through a battle but he could feel the clock ticking on this one as he feared other more ambitious of his peers would find out about the Key or even worse another ambitious Prophet. No, he had to get it first and so secure the valuable tool that would enhance his power. But he reminded himself he needed his lieutenants to still follow him through this critical stage of the war.

"Your orders, sir?" Mygaeum asked, finally filling in the gap as Lepidus thoughts.

"Carry on, you're doing well, my friend," the shipmaster swore at himself for the display of distraction. "We need to question the vermin about the location of the Key so you have done well in the execution of the attack so far. Soon we will need to find a suitable place to bring them together so we can do this."

"As you wish it, shipmaster, so shall it be done," Mygaeum responded, enthusiasm renewed in his voice.

"Keep me apprised. If you need anything let me know," Lepidus responded, relaxing at the more positive tone.

"So what are our leader's orders?" a fellow clan member and officer asked Mygaeum from their staging area.

"Those under arms we will kill but the rest we capture for questioning," the second-in-command answered. "We are to inflict minimal damage on the city. The shipmaster wants it intact." Seeing the look of disappointment the observant Brute added, "Don't worry, we'll have our sport with them when we find what we came for."

The other Brute chuckled at the implications of the statement making a low rumbling sound of approval.

"Now we need a spot to hold all the vermin together to accomplish this," Mygaeum declared, getting back to business. "Find me a suitable place to carry out the interrogation."

With that, battalions of Grunts, Jackals and Skirmishers fanned out in all directions supported by Brutes and vehicles as they systematically began to take control of the city.

**November 16, 2552, 0350 Hours, New York City, United States, planet Earth**

The piercing scream shattered the calm of night. The sound of sheer terror caused Spanner Misriah's duty bodyguard to burst into the suite with M6B Magnum pistol drawn, fully expecting to find an intruder. Instead, the ex-ODST found the woman's father desperately trying to wake up his terrified daughter. Seeing it was a personal matter the guard sheepishly retreated from the condominium unobserved by the frantic man.

"Natalia, wake up!" Spanner called out, his heart racing as his daughter continued to shriek.

With a start the woman's eyes flew open but they were wild and thousands of kilometers away. It took a moment for her to realize where she was and then the sobs started. "Oh, daddy," she cried as he buried herself in his arms.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Spanner responded, desperate to find out what was going on. "What happened?"

"It…it…was, it was a….," Natalia tried to choke out, her body starting to shake from the violence of experience. "I was back on Mars…the…the Brutes were going to kill me…I'd just watched them rip Sergeant Evans apart….I…I could smell the blood and their breath…."

"You're safe, Natalia," Spanner tried to assure her, holding her tight. "It was only a nightmare."

"Only a nightmare," Natalia repeated, not sure she entirely believed it.

**November 16, 2552, 0730 Hours, New York Military Facility, New York, United States, planet Earth**

Mike had returned to the base after his evening with the Misriah's and had seen to the disposition of his team. They already knew and so were standing by. After that he met with Gunny MacGregor to see to the preparations of the Wolverines. Knowing he'd be briefed in when needed the seasoned combat veteran lay down for a restless sleep knowing that could be a precious commodity in the days ahead. Early the next morning he received an order to report to the Colonel Holland for instructions.

"Mike, you and the Wolf Pack are going to deploy to Cleveland," Colonel Holland declared without fanfare after returning the offered salute.

"What about Africa, sir?" Mike asked since they had been preparing for the task given earlier in the week.

"That'll have to wait," Holland responded. "It's all hands on deck here and we need you. We don't know what their objective is but as of 0600 hours the city was close to falling and so we need to do something to stem the tide. We're putting together a scratch force to go and contain the invasion."

"What's their force disposition, sir?" Mike asked, mentally changing gears to the new assignment.

"We estimate one reduced fleet consisting of two CCS-class battlecruisers and four CRS-class light cruisers," the Special Ops officer reported.

"And?"

"And that's it, Mike," Holland answered. Seeing Mike's puzzled expression he asked, "What are you thinking?"

"This doesn't make sense, sir," Mike responded. "This is like Africa. They're hitting us piecemeal, with three or four ships at a time. The fleet that attacked Reach was huge."

"I know, I don't get it either," Holland confessed, "But thank God for it."

"What's ONI say about all this?"

"Honestly, not a lot," the command officer admitted.

"Big surprise," Mike snorted. "They have all the information except the stuff we need. What about ground forces?"

"The regular composition, led by Brutes," Holland answered, not addressing the comment he silently agreed with.

"What about Elites?" Mike asked, curious after his experience on Mars.

"None. There's speculation in command there's some sort of internal power struggle's going on within the Covenant," Holland reported. "In fact there's been some reports of Elites being purged."

"Well that's some good news for a change," Mike mused.

"Indeed. Regardless, we need to get it done."

"Understood." Mike then changed gears. "Adam's not ready to get back into the action," Mike said, processing the change of direction.

"Agreed. I checked into that myself," Holland stated. "Melanie-B252 will replace him temporarily as 2ic of your team."

"Mel?" Mike was surprised by the announcement.

"You and your team worked together on Mars, it's the best fit," Holland declared. "We need you operational now and can't wait. Do you have any objection to this?"

"No sir, that makes sense," Mike answered though strangely unsettled by the change in his team.

"Good. You leave in four hours," Holland ordered. "We're going to drop two companies of ODSTs from 19th Shock Troops Battalion and your team in by air. I'll be following with the main echelon led by Colonel Toliver and his armoured battle group. I'll be monitoring from the command center when it gets set up. Get it done Mike."

"Yes sir," Mike answered, snapping off a salute.

Less than ten minutes later the Lone Wolf began to brief in the Wolf Pack on their change in plans including that Melanie would be taking Adam's place for the mission which was met with mixed results. While none were surprised by the turn of events the team shared some of the same confusion as Mike did about what was going on.

"Why Cleveland?" Matt exclaimed in frustration. "There's nothing of military or strategic value. They have sensors, they know it. Why not New York?"

"I don't know," Mike answered honestly, just as confused by the turn of events, but less curious than the assaulter.

"And why take the city?" Matt pressed on. "Why not glass it? I mean that's their way. It's weird. They did the same thing on Mars. We killed thousands of them."

"I know Matt, it doesn't make sense," Mike admitted. "But thank God they didn't."

"And where are the Elites?" Alissa decided to join in the conversation. "It's still only Brutes. I don't get it."

"Command believes there may be some kind of schism within the Covenant," Mike relayed.

"Schism?" Matt asked in confusion.

"He means internal problem," Alissa answered, poking the largest member of the team. "And that's the only good news we seem to have gotten recently."

"Regardless, we're getting back in the game," Mike took charge of the conversation to get it back on track. "Pre-deployment operations are in effect, full load out is authorized. Also, get to the mech shop and be sure everything's good to go with your armor. I'm going to check in on Adam and bring him up to speed."

But that would need to wait a little longer.

Gunnery Sergeant MacGregor came into the team area without announcement fuming. "Colonel Holland won't let me and the lads go with ye to Cleveland. They're sending those goulash eaters from the 19th instead."

"I hadn't heard that gunny. What was his reason?" Mike asked, maintaining a calm voice to try to defuse the volatile ODST.

"Ach, said we was too banged up. We're to be integrated into another unit and put back into the ODST ORBAT so taken off of Special Ops," MacGregor spat out angrily in his thick Scottish brogue.

"I'll talk to Colonel Holland and see if we can get this sorted," Mike answered, beginning to realize he wasn't going to have enough time to do everything he needed to accomplish.

"I'd appreciate it, sir," MacGregor responded genuinely. "It wouldn't be the same fighting without ye and the wee bairns."

"Ah, sarge, I didn't know you love us so much," Terrell jabbed him.

"Shut yer mouth or I'll shut it fer ye," the hot-headed NCO shot back but with an embarrassed look of affection.

"Okay, everyone get back to work," Mike ordered. Now besides Adam he also needed to talk to the colonel.

Leaving the barracks block Mike travelled to the hospital to see Adam. There was something on his mind but annoyingly he couldn't put his finger on it. The short trip to the infirmary didn't give him the time to collect his thoughts so the deep-thinking Spartan tabled them.

"Hi, sir!" Adam greeted his commanding officer cheerily. "What do you think of the news that the States have been attacked?" the teen with tight blond curls asked.

"Not surprising, I guess, with Africa already under attack," Mike confessed, "it was only a matter of time. That's why I'm here," the Lone Wolf tried to change gears but suddenly didn't want to have his conversation.

"So what's going on?" Adam asked, a sense of anticipation clearly on the face of the young Spartan.

"The team's deploying to Cleveland to counter the attack," Mike answered, still not fully disclosing what was going on.

"It'll be great to get back into action," Adam confessed, "so I've been cleared to return to duty?"

"No, you'll be staying here, you're not ready," Mike told him, an irrational feeling of guilt building.

"But you can't go without me; the team will be down one. I mean…."

"Melanie will take your place," Mike cut him off, not wanting to drag the inevitable out any longer. "It's just temporary though, until you're cleared to return to duty."

"But both Maia and Matt were able to come back before they were cleared," Adam countered tightly, his eyes starting to fill with tears.

"Those were different circumstances and a different chain of command," Mike responded lamely, "they're tighter here than on Mars."

"It's not right," Adam shot back, turning to avoid eye contact.

Mike couldn't disagree but he also had no choice in the matter. For the next few minutes he tried to make small talk with the frustrated young Spartan but it was awkward at best. Then with the clock ticking he guiltily removed himself for his next task.

Adam was left alone with his thoughts, feeling a bit guilty for how he'd treated his commanding officer. The brooding teen knew his CO had no choice in the matter but he was still angry that he was being left behind.

_He let Matt and Maia back into the team_, Adam thought to himself in frustration, _but what about me? No! No, I get replaced by Melanie. But who am I kidding? Who wouldn't want her instead of me? I still have this fear of the Brutes and don't know when I'm going to freeze again. Yea, I'm no good to them, they're better off without me._

With that the teen allowed himself to fall into the black hole of despair.

Mike was still brooding himself over Adam's reaction by the time he reached Colonel Holland's office to talk about MacGregor and the Wolverines. He could understand the teen Spartan's reaction but was also frustrated by it a bit. He wasn't quite sure why though. His talk with his own commanding officer didn't go any better. Holland correctly stated the ODST team from Mars was in no fit condition to be deployed into the field in its current state. Their numbers were too low and there were too many walking wounded to be combat effective. He did say they could review in a while but they would stay behind while the Wolf Pack and the others went to Cleveland.

Strike two for Mike.

There was one other Mike had forgotten he needed to talk about and she came walking up to him.

Natalia.

Dressed in fitted ONI fatigues she presented a figure that caught people's eye but there was something about her not right to Mike. He watched her coming towards him and then it struck him. She had dark circles under her eyes and didn't have her usual purposeful stride.

"Good morning, Mike," she greeted him hollowly.

"Hi, Tali," Mike answered. "You okay?"

"I had trouble sleeping last night," Natalia responded but then avoiding eye contact continued, "Just had some bad dreams." The images were still fresh in her mind and she could feel her stomach clench so tried to change the subject. "I assume you're deploying to Cleveland?"

"Yes, we're dropping in as forward echelon," Mike answered. "We're heading out in about 3 hours."

"And you were going to tell me when?" Natalia asked, more edge to her voice than she'd meant but didn't have the energy to correct herself.

"Before I left," Mike answered, looking hard at the woman who still avoided eye contact.

"I know you would, Mike, sorry about that," Natalia apologized flatly. "I'm just a bit off today. Dreams got me a bit rattled, I guess."

"What were they about?" Mike asked, trying to understand what was going on.

"They were about Mars," Natalia's voice dropped, "…about what happened to me."

"Well it was a pretty intense time," Mike responded somewhat insensitively. The Spartan had been in combat so long he'd forgotten the trauma of what others went through so missed how upset the woman truly was.

"Yea, thanks," Natalia answered tightly, not impressed by the response. Then wanting to change the subject she declared, "But how can you deploy with Adam still being injured. That's not right."

"He's staying behind."

"Who's going to replace him?" Natalia asked, tone changing.

"Mel is," Mike answered, noting the look on his girlfriend's face.

"Melanie?" Natalia shot back. "Why not MacGregor or someone else?"

"It needs to be a Spartan," Mike answered patiently, fearing where this was going to go. "Besides, no one else knows the team and can jump in last minute like her."

"No way," Natalia finally came alive. The trauma of her nightmares fuelled a new determination. "She openly flirts with you. I don't like it."

"Well neither of us have a choice here. Colonel Holland ordered it," Mike answered with an edge to his voice, not liking the tone or implications of the statement.

"It's not just that," Natalia realized she'd gone too far so tried to backpedal. "She'll be distracted. I don't want anything to go wrong."

"She's a pro and will get the job done," Mike countered, weary of the conversation and knowing the clock was ticking. "Besides, she was pretty key in rescuing you on Mars."

"I'm aware of that Mike," Natalia countered tightly, hurt that he would mention that after she'd told him the nature of her nightmare. "I'm just worried about you, okay?"

"I get that but this is war and things don't always go the way we want them too," Mike allowed his exasperation to spill over.

"I know that," the woman shot back testily, "I experienced that myself lately." The images from her dream pushed in anew causing her stomach to churn.

Mike could see Natalia becoming increasingly upset but didn't quite understand why. Still, it was obvious and he felt bad about it. "Listen, I know this isn't ideal and I'm sorry we didn't have more time."

"Thanks, I get it," Natalia cut him off. "I have some stuff to do. Give me a call before you leave if you have the time. Good luck out there and stay safe."

The proud woman wheeled about and strode off leaving Mike unsure of how to respond. "Shit," he said quietly to himself and walked back to the team area.

If the Spartan thought his day was going to improve when he got back to the barracks he was wrong.

MacGregor was waiting for Mike in the team area. "Well?" the ODST NCO said right away.

"It's a no-go, gunny," Mike answered. "Colonel Holland wouldn't budge though he did say he'd review the Wolverines and where they fit into the ORBAT soon."

"Bah! And ye couldn't sweet talk him into adding us?" MacGregor declared angrily, eyes narrowing.

"I tried but the CO's mind was made up already based on your parade state," Mike countered in exasperation.

"But ye can't go into this without us," the gunnery sergeant pleaded. "We bled with you on Mars. I left too many good lads back there. If ye're going back into the fight we should be there, have a chance at least to push back."

"I get that but it wasn't my call, Hank."

"Fine, have a good time in Cleveland," the explosive Scot shot back and stormed down the hallway.

"Gunny, wait!" Mike called after him but MacGregor had already moved out of range and he didn't need good hearing to hear the sound of an exterior door slamming.

It seemed like Mike had developed a skill for disappointing people. With heart heavy and feeling a pressing weight onto his shoulders he walked into the common area where he knew he'd find his team.

Melanie was already supervising the deployment preparations and it was obvious they were nearly ready to deploy. If any had heard the short, sharp discussion none let on they knew, each member of the Wolf Pack was focused on what they were doing.

"There you are Michael, I was beginning to worry you weren't going to join us for the party," Melanie called out playfully.

"Stow it," Mike growled back, not in the mood. "What's our prep status?"

Melanie raised an eyebrow at the tone but didn't address it. "We're ahead of schedule. So I've ordered some tactical maps of the city and also the latest intel reports. May as well use the extra time to educate ourselves."

"Thanks Mel, good work." Mike wanted to apologize for the way he'd snapped at her but didn't feel like it. He'd had enough of such social graces and just wanted to get away and kill something.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**November 17, 2552, 0950 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"Wait!" Ruwan Ackerson hissed as he grabbed Myras Tyla who was about to leave the cover of the stand of bushes they'd been resting in and move towards the trio of Colonial Militia holding a position at the entrance of the park. The air sizzled with plasma fire as the temporary quiet of the morning was interrupted by the sound of battle. A group of screaming Grunts waddled towards the position firing plasma pistols and rifles.

The militiamen dove for cover though one took a glancing blow, crying out as the superheated charge seared his shoulder. Their assault rifles barked in reply spitting lead at the attackers. One Grunt went down in a heap as the others scattered at the uncoordinated fire of the humans.

Then the _chug chug chug_ sound of needlers firing signalled a group of Jackals had entered the fight from their hiding place. The Grunts reformed in a defensive position and kept up a suppressing fire as the Kig-Yar worked their way to flank the humans who were now pinned down. The militiamen crawled into a triangle formation to try to cover themselves but the Covenant forces were moving too fast for them. One of the humans let off a sustained burst of fire but it was absorbed by the energy shield of the Jackal who drew his attention. The sharp hiss of a beam rifle overpowered the other sounds as a round from a hidden Jackal sniper lanced into the head of the engaged human defender.

The human's flank turned, the Covenant force pressed forward. The second defender went down from a well-placed plasma rifle round and the remaining militiaman panicked and tried to run away. He stood and took two steps before three needler rounds slammed into his back and exploded creating a pink mist.

Once again everything went quiet in the immediate area. The sound of small arms fire and explosions could be heard in the distance but in the park things went still. The Covenant assault team went up to check on the humans and satisfied the trio were dead continued to press on.

Ruwan and Myras had watched the scene in horror and now came slowly out of their hiding place to consider their options anew.

"How did you know they were going to be hit?" Myras asked the concierge.

"Not sure," Ruwan shrugged his shoulders, still a bit unsettled by being so close to the famous singer. The pair had left the Hilton Cleveland Downtown the previous day with a group of people but over the course of the night had been separated and now they were alone. More than once he'd cursed his luck at again being in a city under Covenant attack. Yet he realized this was now the lot of humanity who fought for their existence. Once more he thought of his brother and wondered where he was finally aware of his own willful ignorance at the plight of millions of his fellow humans who'd gone through the same thing he had. He'd been happy to live as if nothing was going on but that had changed.

"Time for an attitude change," Ruwan said quietly to himself.

"Excuse me?" Myras asked, intently scanning their surroundings.

"Nothing," the brown haired man mumbled, "I'm just thinking."

"We need a plan," the singer responded with a note of frustration, "we can't just wander around aimlessly or we're going to get killed." The attractive woman had been used to others, men particularly, looking after her. She'd liked the attention and liked not having to worry about base things but over the course of the previous night she'd been thinking on the run. While she loved to sing and entertain she also knew she was more and the now desperate situation was awakening within her a voice she'd long kept suppressed. No, it was time for her to start to take control of her destiny. Yet the woman was also conflicted. The handsome boy from the hotel had saved her life the previous day so she felt a certain degree of obligation.

"Yea," Ruwan agreed, noting her tone. "We have to get out of town and find some UNSC forces." Looking around the concierge sought a clear path. "Come on let's go," he declared with a confidence he didn't possess.

For the next several hours they moved from the shadow of one building to another but on foot they didn't make great progress. The sound of sporadic small arms fire seemed never far away nor the yells and calls of alien voices. There was also a more immediate concern- hunger and thirst. They needed to find food and water fast since they'd had none since the previous day. They'd moved out of the core and into an area of light industry and retail business so when Myras spotted a convenience store they decided to see what they could find. Ruwan forced open a door and they entered into the dark building in search of relief. The back was lined with coolers and though the power had been off for some time the food and drink in them were still good. Each grabbed a bottle of water and juice to slake the thirst they now realized was ravenous and also some packaged sandwiches to eat. For twenty minutes the paired silently enjoyed the blissful state until the sound of heavy engines brought them back to reality. Creeping between the shelves to stay in cover the pair moved to look out the store's plate glass window and was greeted by the welcome sight of two Warthogs and a squad of Marines.

"Are we glad to see you boys," Myras declared moving out of the door and into the afternoon light before Ruwan could stop her.

A Marine private nervously spun around at the voice and brought his assault rifle to bear but checked his fire at a wave of a corporal.

"Where you come from?" the sergeant in charged asked, a bit surprised by the sight of the beautiful entertainer but then noting the young man sheepishly coming out of the same building.

"Downtown," Myras answered, noting the look with irritation. "I was performing there when the attack came."

"We've been trying to get out of town since," Ruwan added, not happy to be exposed in such a way.

"Good idea," the senior NCO agreed with a nod. "Covvies have been systematically rolling up the whole city. We been doing a recce to see how far they've gotten and trying to link up with our garrison troops."

Just as the stocky Marine finished his sentence the air came alive with the sound of two low _booms._

"Incoming!" a Marine standing of one of the Warthogs called out as two Brute Shot grenades landed among the gathered human troops.

A rapid _pop pop pop_ of plasma pistols being fired joined the chorus as florescent green rounds came sizzling in causing the human's to dive for the little cover around them. The gunner providing cover from one of the Warthogs was seared and fell out the back end.

"Get that LAAG up!" the sergeant barked out.

Bravely one of the Marines jumped up and hopped into the gunner's position. The M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun erupted at 450 rounds of 99mm armor piercing rounds per minute checking the progress of the Covenant attackers.

"Come on, we need to find cover!" Ruwan called out desperately as the invader's fire slackened causing a lull in the action.

"Where to?" Myras called back, feeling frozen by the combat.

The quick-thinking man looked around and answered, "Back into the store. We head to the back."

The pair shuffled away low to the ground as the Covenant adjusted positions and resumed their attack. The intensity of fire seemed to increase showing more invaders were coming into the skirmish but disastrous for the human defenders was when two crystalline needler shards slammed into the Marine on the Warthog's gun immediately silencing it. Before the sergeant in charge could bring it back online a squad of Grunts charged screaming into the human's defensive position. Though the Marines checked and turned back the charge it served to tie them up long enough for Jackals to move into better firing positon and in short order snipe over half the remaining group.

With a roar of challenge three Brutes charged into the midst of the battle. One gored a Marine with the curved bayonet of its brute shot; another was grabbed in the act of trying to throw a grenade and tossed like a rag doll into the side of a Warthog and the third beat the sergeant in charge unconscious. In short order the resistance of the human's ceased.

While the details of the skirmish were lost on Ruwan and Myras the outcome was not in doubt to the pair who heard it hiding within the variety store.

"What are we going to do?" Myras whispered desperately, the bile of fear growing in her.

"Just hang tight," Ruwan answered, "they likely didn't see us. We wait until they leave and carry on."

The pair heard the sound of excited alien voices just outside the store indicating the Covenant attackers were close. This went on for over ten painstaking minutes and began to die down giving them the hope they'd soon be able to come out of their hiding spot.

But their hope proved to be ill-conceived.

"Humans, oh humans," a high-pitched voice that would have been humorous in another context called out, "come out."

Myras' eyes went wide with terror and Ruwan froze, not knowing what to do.

"Do not make us come in there humans," the same voice taunted, "you will not like what happens if you do not."

"What do we do?" Myras whispered urgently.

"Nothing we can," Ruwan confessed, kicking himself for thinking they'd been safe with the Marines. "We have no choice, we give up," he admitted, standing up and putting his hands in the air in the universal sign of surrender.

The Covenant troops milling about the store and scene of carnage roared in approval as the two civilians came out of the store to join two surviving Marines as prisoners. Their flight to freedom had ended.

Miles away a formation of Pelican dropships roared towards Ohio. Mike and the Wolf Pack along with a company of ODSTs were moving to a staging area just outside the city of Cleveland where they would transfer to Falcon utility helicopters for insertion into the city. From satellite and drone footage obtained by command the good news for the humans was the Covenant had not begun glassing the area but instead seemed to be systematically capturing the city. The bad news was they seemed to have nearly taken the entire city and were starting to gather local citizens which was a new phenomenon. This had left both ONI and Army intelligence analysts scratching their heads. So the Special Forces troops would be going into a situation they didn't understand.

All of this was lost on Mike for the moment.

The leader of the Spartan team was engaged in conversation, the only one in the dropship currently wearing his helmet so he could communicate in private. This was not lost on a keen observer of the whole thing.

Melanie subtly watched Mike's body language. _He's talking to that woman_, she thought to herself, irritation growing. _We're going into a fight and he's on the phone to her. _Yet she could read his reactions to the conversation, despite being encased in Mjolnir armor, and could tell something was wrong. She also knew he was not one to allow himself to be distracted from a mission this close to insertion so conceded it likely was important. Strangely, she was happy about this. The Whisper had been thinking a lot about him the past couple of days. She'd given him over to Natalia Misriah, even believing he'd be happy with her, yet now she was rethinking this idea. The deep-thinking operator had to concede the billionaire's daughter had looks and charm and she obviously cared about the Spartan. That was in her favor. Still, the fellow Beta Team member realized there was perhaps more than that needed to make a relationship succeed. Common heritage and experience, for one, were important and they definitely had this. So Melanie had changed her mind, a new phenomenon, as she'd allowed her own feelings to be uncapped and flow from the bottle. No, she'd determined to get off the bench and into the game and the conversation Mike seemed to be having was not lost on her.

"I'm sorry, Tali, for the way I acted," Mike apologized, oblivious to the train of thought going on across from him. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing, Mike," Natalia confessed. "The day just started off bad with my dreams and all and I took it out on you."

"Yea, that sucks about having a bad sleep," Mike tried to sympathize but still didn't get where she was going with it. Little did he realize Natalia was starting to show signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from her capture and captivity on Mars. As a Spartan he'd gotten used to death and destruction him around over the years.

"Yea, it does," Natalia responded without emotion, unimpressed with his lack of sympathy.

"So you're okay with Mel and everything now?" Mike asked, hoping to tie off all the tension between them from earlier in the day.

"That's fine," the troubled woman replied flatly, "nothing I can do about it anyways."

"I'm glad you're good, Tali, that means a lot," again Mike missed the true implications of what his girlfriend was saying and the lack of passion in her voice due to his lack of experience but also growing focus on the mission ahead.

An awkward silence followed as Natalia had nothing to say to the man who only a day earlier she couldn't stop talking to.

Mike sensed it but was unsure what to do or the source of the tension so tried to fill the gap. "So what are you thinking of doing next?" he asked generally.

"I have no idea," Natalia shot back, irritated at the silence and question that followed. "I'm thinking I might quit. I'm tired of so much right now," she admitted, thinking of Admiral Parangosky and all that had gone on the past several months.

"Resign? At a time like this?" Mike answered shock obvious in his voice. "Earth's under attack, you can't just pack it in right now."

"A lot of good I'm going to do in that area, stuck in New York," Natalia responded glumly.

"Come on, I'm sure there's lots of stuff you can do to help," Mike tried to be encouraging but came off as condescending.

"Yea, loads," the exasperated woman shot back sourly.

"You're a Misriah, you'll figure something out," Mike tried to change the tone by playfully dropping a phrase she had used on Mars and their way back to Earth, not really gauging how that would sound to her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she shot back, lethargy gone and the fighter's instinct flaring.

"Nothing, I'm just trying to get you back on track," Mike answered, surprised and hurt by her comment and tone.

"Nice try," Natalia counter-punched. Part of her knew this was going terribly wrong but another, more dominant part, wanted to fight back and hurt him like she was hurting right now.

"Are you all, right? Is something wrong?" Mike knew there was but couldn't figure out how to express himself, being caught off guard.

"Oh sure, everything's just super," she shot back again, dripping with sarcasm.

This struck a nerve with Mike. He'd tried to listen, to be sensitive and what did it get him? He was the one going into combat and she was the one with the attitude. "Glad to hear it then." He tried to match her tone and intensity but it came off as awkward.

"Listen, I have to go, I've got loads to do," Natalia declared, tired of the conversation and feeling like she could vomit. "You take care of yourself and good luck out there."

"Yea, you too, talk to you later." Mike knew the conversation was going terribly wrong and shouldn't end this way but didn't have the experience or will at the moment to try to correct it so both allowed their talk to end on this sour note rather than work harder to get back on track. It was not a great way to end a promising return together to Earth.

_We really are worlds apart_, Natalia thought to herself, depression mounting. It was so different on Reach and even Mars. _But who am I kidding? He's a Spartan, I'm…I'm me. What hope do we honestly have? _

Mike let his helmeted head hang down in despair, not caring what impression that would telegraph. So far in the days since he'd come to Earth he'd been arrested, had his team split and now was fighting with his girlfriend and the Covenant had attacked North America. What else could go wrong?

The old fatalism started to creep back in.

Melanie put her helmet on and signalled Mike to go to a private channel.

"Everything okay?" The Whisper asked.

"Fine," Mike returned, without emotion

"You need to be sure your head's in the game, Michael," she declared pointedly.

"I can get the job done, Mel." Mike shot back.

"I know you can," Melanie responded gently, "that's not what I mean."

"Then what are you saying?" the Lone Wolf replied, caught off guard.

"I mean in life. Listen, this coming fight is just one piece of the puzzle. You can't keep riding this emotional roller coaster. It's not good for you or anyone around you," the strategic woman stated but then moved to share her own personal thought. "I just hate to see you torn up like this," Melanie confessed, her aggressive tone dropping.

"You're right," Mike agreed. I needed that reminder."

"I care about you Michael and what happens to you. I may not express it like some but don't doubt the intensity of feeling behind it," Melanie said genuinely. "Just know that whatever goes down, I have your back and I'm here for you in whatever way you want."

"Thanks Mel, that means a lot," the conflicted Spartan answered appreciatively though uncertain what the implications of the statement were.

Mike couldn't see the smile on Melanie's face behind the visor of the Mark V helmet of the Recon Armor she wore. The tactically-thinking woman had made her point and pulled back. She didn't need to engage the B5D-R optics suite of her helmet to see he was unsettled. Part of her felt guilty for what she was doing since they were about to go into combat but she also believed it was for his best.

_And for my own_, she reminded herself. She was patient and could wait for her opening. It had been this long, what was a little more time.

Maia watched the two leaders of the team with a sense of growing concern. It hadn't sat right with the thoughtful teen they were going into combat without Adam. She had no issue with Melanie's fighting ability. The recon Spartan had proven herself again and again. It was rather the change in dynamic to the team that had her unsettled. The Wolf Pack was her family and she didn't want anything to disrupt it. Mike was with the billionaire's daughter, the ONI officer Natalia. Though Maia knew little about her she liked her and could tell she genuinely cared for Mike. She could also tell that Melanie had some sort of feelings for Mike too. The teen knew the pair had history going back to their time training in Onyx and were trying to sort that out but also had figured out the competitive Spartan had not really given Mike a chance to work out his feelings with Natalia. Instead Melanie had subtly undermined their relationship seeking to position herself, where? That answer eluded Maia.

Now they were going into combat anew with the pair as the command team. She wished Adam had been with them. He was a steadying force for all of them but he was still back in New York.

No, all of this didn't sit right with her. Relationships were complicated, too complicated for the teen who'd kept a wall around her for years. Yet even she was starting to struggle with her feelings and what this meant.

_Yea, I guess I shouldn't be thinking too much about Commander Mike and Melanie and get a better grip on my own feeling_, she mused, looking over towards Matt who stared off into space.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Spanner Misriah asked his brooding daughter back in New York, overhearing the conversation and being concerned for her.

"I'm fine."

"Everything okay with Mike?"

"Yea, but not really," Natalia responded with open frustration. "He can be kind of thick at times."

"I'm sorry to hear that but you need to give it time. You've both been through a lot; it takes time and effort to make a relationship work in the best of times. God knows it's going to take more in this war."

"You're right, dad," Natalia admitted. "And I was the one who was kind of thick and difficult. I just can't stop fighting back when pushed," she confessed in exasperation.

"Well, give yourself a break too," Spanner counselled, the irony of what he'd just said not lost on the quick-thinking man who'd not done any of that in his marriage. He set the thought aside for a more pressing matter. "We need to talk about MacKenzie," he broached the subject.

"There's nothing to talk about," Natalia shot back, in an increasing bad mood.

"Okay, that's fine, but I know he's tried to contact you since you got back and he's been in touch with me," her father tried to remain neutral. "He wants to see you."

"I don't want see him, I love Mike, dad," she said unequivocally.

"I know, I can see that."

"Do you have a problem with that?" Natalia countered sharply, becoming aggressive.

"No, not at all," Spanner answered genuinely. "I owe him a debt I can never repay plus I genuinely like him," he confessed. "It's just you have history with MacKenzie and he's a senior exec at the company."

"I get that, dad, but we're toxic together. We're done and there's no need to meet. If I need to say this to his face, I will," Natalia declared stubbornly.

"Okay, I get it and I agree," Spanner responded, putting his hands in the air in surrender. "That's likely at the very least a good thing to do but I do think it's time to send him back to Melbourne but you need to tell him yourself in no uncertain terms and I will stop interfering in these things."

"Okay," Natalia sighed not in exasperation but resignation. _Why do things have to be so hard? _She thought to herself. _Why can't Mike and I get a break?_

On a Pelican on final approach to their staging area Mike couldn't help but think the same thing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**November 17, 2552, 1630 Hours, Akron, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

Just over 50 kilometers away from the fallen city of Cleveland a staging area for UNSC troops now with the task of trying to retake the city had been set up in a large municipal park in Akron. The few remnants of the human defenders of Cleveland had fallen back to this city as fresh troops began to arrive. Besides the Wolf Pack two battalions of ODSTs had been airlifted in and were preparing to move in. Drone and satellite imagery had confirmed a large number of citizens of the city were being held in a baseball stadium so the first order of business was to attempt to rescue them. An initial diversionary attack away from the location would take place in an attempt to draw the Covenant forces off and make the assault easier. The good news was that the invading forces consisted of those from only one CCS-class battlecruiser with the several other ships in the small armada seeming to be holding back. It was a curious strategy which left the ONI and UNSC Intel people scratching their heads. Regardless of the reasons why this meant the invaders were likely spread out.

"Two minutes people," Mike called over the comms as he got the word from their pilot, "get hot." He then idly looked over to the side of the craft they flew in and noticed the 'Misriah Armory' label affixed to the side and was reminded of Natalia. He felt bad about their earlier conversation but was also irritated by her insecurities that seemed to flare up at times like this. Maybe Melanie was right about him needing to think about all this. For now he had to table the thoughts. They were first wave of an attempt to retake a human home world city from the Covenant. He had no time for the luxury of pondering his personal life.

The Wolf Pack were crammed into one Falcon that steadily _chop chop chopped_ its way to their insertion point in the north-east suburb of East Cleveland near Lake Erie and less than ten kilometers from the stadium the civilian hostages were being held. Their insertion point was to be a series of sports fields in the Forest Hill Park area which had good access to major roads and would hopefully draw Covenant forces away from the stadium before the main assault was launched. It was a hastily devised plan but one that held good promise of success.

To fit the whole team into the helicopter it had no cabin crew so Tyrell mounted the M247H heavy machine gun that poked out the open side of the craft while Maia acted as crew chief. Rather than the usual tactic of coming in low and fast the helicopter was high and slow, deliberately showing itself to draw Covenant forces. It was them plus a half-battalion of ODSTs that were inbound for the initial assault while the bulk of the UNSC force had stealthily moved into position and were now waiting the diversion.

That was if they made it that far.

If the Covenant had set up any semblance of anti-air defense likely they could pick off the whole squadron of inbound Falcons before they even reached their destination. Fortunately, thus far they seemed to have caught the invaders unprepared because the air was quiet and the city coming onto the horizon seemed at rest. So far so good.

That was about to change.

Off to the side a Falcon was seared with a fuel rod round from an Anti-Air Wraith. The helicopter burst into flames and came crashing to the ground.

"This is going to be a hot LZ!" the Falcon pilot yelled into the comms while undertaking evasive maneuvers.

"You think?" Alissa shot back in frustration as the team was tossed around as the helicopter juked to miss inbound plasma rounds from the Covenant artillery. Maia gave the team's sniper a thumb's up but the temperamental teen was irritated by the fact they were sitting ducks. She understood the tactical necessity of it but it still caused a spike in anger. Alissa had been taking her Smoothers regularly to moderate her mood after the mind-altering mutagens the Gamma Company Spartans had been subjected to but things like this still got her blood boiling. This was her family and she wanted nothing to happen to them. While she didn't always agree with Adam she felt he needed to be there instead of Mel who seemed to be starting to work at getting Mike's attention which was of no benefit to anyone. She'd have to table those thoughts for now since they were about to go into combat.

More rounds from several mobile artillery platforms lanced through the air causing the inbound Falcons to jink and weave in and out trying to evade the deadly plasma rounds. Ground fire from Covenant infantry started to join the chorus as Grunts and Jackals began to swarm the intended area of insertion. In response the Wolf Pack's pilot opened fire with his M638 autocannon that erupted in an orange ball of fire as 20mm explosive rounds peppered the ground in five round bursts chewing up large divots of the green grass in the sports fields below. The infantry on the ground scattered and ran as there was little cover afforded in the open space and two of the Wraiths were hit in counter fire. The Wolf Pack's Falcon began to land, flared ninety degrees so the pilot could bring the autocannon to bear on another Wraith while Terrell opened up with the M247 firing on full auto cutting down a platoon of Grunts like wheat as the helicopter touched down.

"Let's go!" Mike yelled. "Spread formation; secure the LZ for the rest of the Falcons."

Mike went right, firing semi-auto bursts from his assault rifle and tossing grenades at a Brute captain trying to rally the company attempting to stop the insertion. Melanie went left, firing more discriminately, looking for Skirmishers and snipers who were seeking to set up on the periphery. The rest of the team fanned out between them. Alissa dropped to one knee and found another Jiralhanae officer who she dispatched with two 114mm armor-piercing sabot rounds from her SRS 99C sniper rifle. Maia and Matt worked together, firing and moving to push the Spartan's position out into a reverse V. Terrell was the last one out of the Falcon, continuing to fire the heavy machine gun. Then deftly uncoupling it from its swivel mount on the helicopter he jumped down and set up a fire base to support the initial assault.

While a number of other Falcons had been hit and gone down in the initial assault more than enough ODSTs were disembarked to not only take the landing zone but unseat the scratch Covenant force that tried to stop it. The humans had picked a good spot as there were insufficient enemy numbers to mount a serious attempt to stop them.

With the Wolf Pack as the tip of the spear the Special Ops troops not only consolidated their landing grid but began to aggressively push it out. Though trying to put up a stiff resistance the Covenant troops had been caught flat footed. With their Wraiths all destroyed or disabled the commander tried to bring a trio of Ghosts to bear to push back the human insertion. Firing their twin plasma cannons the rapid attack vehicles attempted to turn the tide. But like the rest of the Covenant countermeasures it was uncoordinated and poorly initiated. Alissa picked one of the drivers off with a head shot, Terrell pumped machine gun rounds into another until it began to smoke and then explode and a hail of grenades from the ODSTs blew the other one up. The counter attack was finished before it began.

The skirmish was effectively over and everyone knew it. The Grunts scattered and ran in panic while the Kig-Yar troops melted away not wanting to be part of the imbalanced fight. While the Brutes in this particular company stood and fought there were not enough of them to stem the human tide so they were quickly overwhelmed and killed. The human attackers continued to press forward until they made the tree line of the small forest that marked the west side of the park where they paused to assess their initial success. Only two ODSTs had minor injuries while the field behind them was dotted with the corpses of nearly three dozen Covenant. With a complete success for the human attackers the key element of the UNSC strategy was achieved though when the panicked Covenant commander put out an urgent call for reinforcements to the immediate area.

**November 17, 2552, 1640 Hours, New York City, New York, United States, planet Earth**

Natalia had been a fog all day, no check that, she thought, a funk. Her conversation with Mike and how she'd handled it didn't sit right with her. _Why do I keep doing this?_ She chided herself. _He's the one going into combat and rather than be supportive I gives him a hard time_. It was not a merely rhetorical statement. She wondered anew why she acted like this when pressed.

_Spoiled little rich girl,_ the words whispered in her mind condemned her. _Why do I do this? _She thought anew.

There was more this time though. She realized her character flaws before Mars and had been working on correcting them. She was aware of her selfishness, conceit and self-centeredness. As ugly as those truths about her were there was a comfort to having them out in the open. No, the thoughtful and perceptive woman didn't think that was the cause of her latest outburst. There had to be something more, but what?

Mars.

Natalia was beginning to realize that her time on Mars had not only changed, for the better, the dynamic of her relationship with Mike but on the reverse she'd also experienced something she was not equipped to process. The shock of capture, interrogation and watching people she knew killed before her eyes had left an indelible stamp on her. The nightmares the past couple of nights was only the tip of the iceberg.

"What am I going to do?" Natalia said quietly to herself, tears welling up in her expressive emerald green eyes.

"Sweetheart?"

The realization her father was standing there looking at her with a concerned expression on his usually hard face snapped her back to the reality of the present.

"Are you okay?" Spanner asked, genuinely interested.

"Yea, I'm okay," Natalia lied. "I'm just being dumb."

"Did you and Mike have a fight?" her father asked perceptively.

This was a moment of truth for Natalia. For so long her father had been trying to block and then thwart her relationship with the Spartan. Part of her screamed to put on a positive face and spin a story in another direction but a growing part of her didn't want to live in a world of lies anymore so she decided to be honest.

"We did," Natalia confessed. "Our conversation was strained before he pulled out for Cleveland and then we talked again while he was enroute and it didn't go any better." She hung her head in shame and hot tears began to well in her eyes. "It was my fault. I was being possessive and selfish. I know he loves me but it's so hard at times. It's like we can never get a break and I begin to wonder sometimes…"

There was an awkward pause as the woman waited for the lecture about being involved with someone like Mike, about how she was destined for better. Her body tensed in anticipation as the tears rolled freely down her cheeks. Instead she felt the strong arms of her father envelope her in a hug.

"Oh Tali, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Spanner tried to comfort her. "Or Mike for that matter. The two of you haven't been together that long and God knows likely most of that time has been under the cloud of this damned war. Then you come back home, the two of you are having a great evening and it gets interrupted. This is to be expected. Your love for each other is stronger than that. You each just need to give yourselves a break."

Natalia pulled back from the embrace with a shocked look on her face. She'd never heard Spanner Misriah give her good advice, let along anything that could be considered fatherly. Still, she felt a warmth and comfort come over her.

"What?" her father asked, unsure how to respond to her reaction.

"Nothing, it's just…," Natalia gave her father a crushing hug. "This just means so much. I just…"

"Am in shock that I'm actually trying to be a father finally to you?" Spanner surmised correctly with a sad chuckle.

"Well…"

"No, don't say anything," he stopped her. "I love you Natalia, more than life itself. I pushed that down for years out of foolishness, but I've learned that now and things are going to change." The smile that erupted on his daughter's face was more precious than the billions he possessed. "And I like Mike. He's a good and honourable man. I want to see things work between the two of you."

Natalia rewarded the confession with another big hug. Then she decided to share with him something that had been on her mind since Reach and was only reinforced on Mars. "Dad, what can we do for not just Mike but all the Spartans?"

"What do you mean, dear?" Spanner asked in return, curious about his daughter's sudden concern.

"I mean they're viewed as expendable soldiers," Natalia explained. "They've been physically and emotionally altered. That just doesn't seem right."

"And they may be some of the only things keeping us from losing this war."

"I get that," she granted. "I've seen the reports but we both also know how they're viewed and treated. They're like another commodity, no different than a Warthog coming off one of you production lines."

Spanner opened his mouth to rebut yet the thought pierced him in the heart. She was right. He'd never thought of them as anything but an asset and yet his daughter had fallen in love with one and in return he was a man, not a machine, with a depth of feelings. Natalia continued to look at him with probing eyes.

"You make a good point, Tali," Spanner confessed. "I've never really thought about it that way."

"None of us have," his daughter responded.

Spanner began to talk but his communications device went off with the 'urgent' tone.

"Damn," he grumbled, angered the moment was spoiled. "I have to take this."

Natalia smiled broadly as she watched her father leave the room. This was all she'd ever wanted- a genuine relationship with her father and now she had it plus a real and genuine love for Mike. Yes, she had everything. Yet almost as quickly the dark and disturbing thoughts she'd been fighting began to crowd back in.

"What's wrong with me?" Natalia cried out to the empty room.

**November 17, 2552, 1645 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

Progressive Field. Ruwan didn't know the origin of the name of the stadium he and Myras were being held in he just knew it had been built in the early 21st century and had stood since then in downtown of Cleveland as a nostalgic reminder of the city's heritage. Better than half of the stadium's nearly 35,000 seats were filled with others like the unfortunate pair who'd been captured and brought here. It was a testament to the elegance and simplicity of the game of baseball that it was still being played even in 2552 largely unchanged. A sign announcing the next home game for the Cleveland Indians who were to be playing the Los Angeles Angels though was a testimony that some things never change.

"What are they going to do to us?" Myras asked again. The well-known singer had been on this loop and had said little else since their capture. Covenant Banshees flitted about the air flying overwatch and Jackals with beam rifles stood on high points of the stadium while groups of Grunts patrolled ensuring order. But everything was being run by the Brutes, that was obvious.

"I don't know," Ruwan answered again. It was obvious the woman was angry with him for their capture. He'd wanted to lie low but she'd chosen to connect with the Marines who were attacked. But this was not of great concern to him at the moment. Something was sticking out to him like a burr, he just couldn't figure it out. While most of the time the Covenant invaders spoke in their own tongue they would regularly speak in human common language interrogating the prisoners. It was strange to the man who'd been in New Mombasa that there had been relatively little destruction thus far in Cleveland. True, the defenders had been sparse and put up a feeble fight but still, the Covenant had the reputation of being not so discrete. While a few building had been levelled and several plumes of smoke rose from fires largely the city was intact. The fact the invaders had gone through the trouble of rounding up thousands of citizens and bringing them to this place rather than killing them meant something was up.

They were looking for something.

Ruwan had figured that out a while ago, but what did they seek? Still, several words and a phrase had been spoken of regularly. The word 'key' and 'Osanalan' were prominent in their invader's thoughts. He'd even heard 'Key of Osanalan' as an expression once and it was then that he realized while he and Myras were still alive. Still, what was it? Yet even as he and thousands of others asked the same question of their increasingly frustrated captors something was stirring in the back of Ruwan Ackerson's mind. Like an annoying song you can't get out of your head it kept being repeated over and over again in his mind.

Key of Osanalan.

Then it struck the young man like lightning enough that it caused his body to convulse enough Myras noticed. "I know what they're looking for," Ruwan declared in a soft voice though the woman heard.

"What?" she asked curiously, "What are they looking for?"

"It doesn't make sense," he said again more to himself. For the first time he forgot how beautiful the woman was beside him as he burrowed deep into concentration. No, it didn't make sense for the Key of Osanalan was an object he and his brother James, the one who was now a UNSC Army officer he thought dead, had made up as kids for an ongoing fantasy adventure game they lived out. It was too specific an item to be a coincidence, especially since where the Covenant had landed and what they were doing. No, they were looking for something and it seemed obvious that it was this Key of Osanalan. By the urgency and reverence it was spoken of it was viewed as something both sacred and powerful. No, this was no coincidence. It meant only one thing: his brother was alive and he'd convinced the Covenant this was a real object.

Several kilometres away Mike quickly reorganized the assault force and began to push out from Forest Hill Park. It had become quiet and so as the Spartan went over the things that needed to be done he allowed himself an acknowledgement that it was good to be back shooting at things. He looked over at Mel who gave him a head nod and he wondered how his life had gotten so complicated. It had only been just over a week since he'd last been in combat yet it almost felt like a year. While the increasingly deep-thinking man liked the awakening he had and the legacy he was beginning to build he had to confess his life had become increasingly complex. Combat had a certain comfort to it in its simplicity so for now he'd rest in that.

While Mike's column was a diversionary measure the aggressive Spartan was not going to rest on their initial success. With the Wolf Pack in the lead and the ODSTs split into two staggered wings the UNSC forces pressed on. Moving out of the park area and into a residential neighbourhood they met no resistance. The sun was still up and sky had only intermittent cloud so visibility was good.

Mike could see in the distance several plumes of smoke in what was likely the downtown area but there seemed to be no destruction in this area. Everything was intact but was quiet.

That idea only lasted a moment.

A group of Grunts came screaming out of a stand of trees from the far side of the park to the right of the human advance. It seemed the Covenant forces had not completely withdrawn but had instead slid out of the way of the human assault and ,melted back in the park to reform and try to push them back. Needler rounds and several Brute shots flew through the air towards the mixed Spartan and UNSC force hitting them with enfilading fire.

The ODSTs were in danger of being flanked but quickly shifted their front to meet the new threat while the Wolf Pack hooked right to block the Covenant line of advance. With the Helljumpers holding their position the Spartans began to roll the invaders up with Mike in the lead. Absorbing plasma and needler rounds with his armor he provided a target of opportunity so his less-armored teammates could bring firepower to bear and check the Covenant attack. Maia scored a hit on the methane tank of one of the Grunts in the middle of a pack and the resulting explosion scattered the rest. Mike poured a whole mag of 7.62mm rounds into a Brute who was leading their charge and when the shaggy Jiralhanae went down he deftly slapped in a fresh mag not missing a beat and gunning down another. Terrell swept fire back and forth along the tree line of the park in order to isolate the party that had come out of park. The result was the attacking Covenant forces were steadily forced back into the meat grinder of the static ODST line that systematically mowed them down. The result was the in only a few minutes the entire Covenant force was down and again things became quiet.

Mike surveyed the area to ensure there would be no more surprises while a squad of ODSTs probed the edge of the forest in the park to ensure it was free of Covenant. As that was going on medics treated the three ODSTs who been wounded in the latest encounter. One had a more serious injury so a medevac was called. A Falcon that had been designated for wounded swooped in with another flying cover and the wounded Helljumper was quickly loaded and sent back to Akron for treatment. Thankfully there had been no renewal of action during the time and things remained quiet so Mike gave the order to again move out.

"Concentrated and focused fire only," Mike ordered over the comms, "there may be civvies in this area so pick your targets." The Lone Wolf looked around at the signs of panicked evacuation and though he saw no movement he knew there could be residents of the city still hiding.

Movement to the right caused the advancing troops to go into tactical position but everyone held their fire. It was good Mike had given the reminder for a middle aged man came running out of the shadows of his home towards the human forces.

"Check fire! Check fire!" Mike called out as the tall, thin man advanced.

"Thank God you're here!" the man cried as he came up to Mike and gave him a spontaneous hug.

"Are you alone?" Mike asked, touched by the act of gratitude.

"No, my wife and family are in the basement. When everyone else ran our truck wouldn't start and then we heard the aliens coming so we went into the house and hid out," the man responded, looking back towards the side-split house.

"Smart thinking," Mike declared which brought a smile of relief from the man.

"Is the city being retaken?" the man asked hopefully. "Are we safe?"

Almost as in response the _chug chug chug_ sound of a needler being fired could be heard. Even though he couldn't tell the target Mike instinctively moved deftly in front of the civilian to block him. It was the right call as three crystalline needler shards slammed into his Mjolnir armor and exploded. Though it slightly drained the energy shield it would have been fatal to the human who jumped down to the ground in panic. The ODSTs covering that sector of their advance returned fire and eliminated the trio of Jackals who'd tried to catch the UNSC forces flatfooted and then pushed out to secure that area of their perimeter.

Mike knelt down to the man who was getting up off the pavement and offered a hand up.

"Thanks," he took the hand and got up, looking a bit embarrassed.

"We're an advanced team only but we're coming to liberate the city," Mike began to answer his earlier question, trying to spare the man his feelings. "Help is on the way but it's going to take time. So hang in there. It's not safe yet. You've done a good job keeping your family safe," he encouraged.

"Okay, will do," the man smiled appreciatively. "And thank you for coming, we appreciate it. We know with Spartans here everything will be okay. Good luck."

He offered his hand which Mike shook and then turned and trotted back to his family.

"All right people, lets push out another bound. Look sharp!" Mike ordered as he watched the man return to his home, a warm feeling filling him especially at the confidence that had been shown in the Spartans. For so long he'd been the Lone Wolf, a killing machine, designed and released to fight against the Covenant but now he realized he was also fighting for humanity and suddenly all the struggles he'd had and things he'd gone through seemed strangely worth it. He'd saved that man's life. True, it was a simple and instinctive act but yet the man was able to return to his wife and several kids he could see coming out of hiding because of what he'd done. One young boy, probably eight or ten years old bravely stepped out of cover and gave the Spartan a salute which Mike promptly returned. No, suddenly everything seemed worth it.

"Contact, ten o'clock," one of the ODSTs called out as the sound of small arms fire interrupted the quiet of the late afternoon and they were back into the thick of battle but the thought was not lost in Mike Nantz who seemed to have renewed vigor and extra spring in his step as he turned to face the threat to humanity and build a new legacy.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**November 17, 2552, 2030 Hours, CSS-class Battlecruiser Triumphant Declaration in orbit over Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"What?" Lepidus screamed in rage at the report the prisoners in the human stadium had been rescued. He grabbed two Jackals casually standing nearby and slammed them together so hard the neck of one snapped.

"How did this happen?"

Mygaeum stood his ground though he did flinch visibly as spittle from the enraged clan chief and shipmaster flew into his face. "Apparently we didn't know that a counterattack was being launched. An initial attack on the other side of the city caused a distraction and when forces shifted another group of the vermin attacked the place we had the prisoners penned up."

Lepidus wiped his gorilla-like face with a massive paw, seeking to calm himself. "What commander was in charge of the pen with the humans?"

"Shipmaster, we are but one small fleet trying to control with minimal destruction a whole city," Mygaeum countered diplomatically, "it's difficult for us to hold this place and meet now renewed attack from the humans."

"What commander was in charge of the pen?" Lepidus bellowed, causing the group around him to jump. "That was the key objective so far, not some attack on the outskirts of the human city. Who failed me?"

"It was Decimus, sir," the Jiralhanae's second-in-command responded with emphasis trying to convey his lack of support for the question.

"He is to be executed immediately."

Risking further wrath, Mygaeum took his commander by the elbow and pulled him aside. "He's from our clan, that is not a wise move, Lepidus."

"We must have the Key," the Brute retorted, ignoring the tone and attitude of his kinsmen. The fact he didn't respond was not just a testimony to the depth and length of their relationship but also the sense of urgency of their mission. "I know our tactical situation here is precarious. And I knew the vermin will rally and attack us. That's why we must move faster. We cannot let this prize slip from our paws. Time is running out. When we find this we will control not only our future but the whole of the Covenant. I'll allow nothing to get in the way of that. So follow my orders and bring me that key."

**November 18, 2552, 0910 Hours, New York City, New York, United States, planet Earth**

Natalia had finally agree to meet MacKenzie so had settled for a late breakfast at an exclusive restaurant in Manhattan. What made it exclusive was not the quality of its quiches but the clientele who ate there which read as a 'who's who' of New York culture. This was a place to be noticed. While Natalia was aware of this but didn't care. She was in a distracted and agitated state having slept poorly the night before. She'd had the same dream about Mars she'd had before waking up in a sweat-soaked bed. Compounding that was the fact she was still in limbo having received no assignment. She'd reported to the ONI field office in New York but they'd not known what to do with her nor seemed to care. I appeared the Misriah name didn't carry a lot of weight in the department anymore. The now brooding woman didn't care but did want to be useful. She thought of here time on Mars when she'd worked with Colonel Ackerson as a Combat Controller and had felt useful for the first time in her life. That was a happy memory and so she pondered seeking a transfer or leaving the military all together. Her father had hinted about her coming to work for his company so there was that.

Yet neither of these issues were front of shelf for her. Mike was on her mind.

The way they'd parted was heavy on her mind. She'd been agitated and he'd been insensitive so the combination was incendiary. The tension in their conversations was obvious and she didn't like it, especially when he was going into combat. The proud woman wanted to be an asset and not a liability and yet again she seemed to be a drag on the man. She'd been following the developments in Cleveland and the initial reports were positive. The special ops insertion had gone as planned and a large number of prisoners, especially those being held at one of the city's baseball stadiums, were freed which made her heart soar. Now ground force elements from the 8th Armored Division had entered the city and linked up and the campaign to retake the city had begun. Strangely though the Covenant forces had received no reinforcements and only the original six ships were undertaking the campaign of conquest. While it was a sufficient number to conquer a city it seemed odd the Covenant had not expanded beyond the city limits and seemed content to attempt to hold the metropolitan area that held no strategic importance. While UNSC planners breathed a collective sigh of relief at the manageable situation it still didn't make a lot of sense.

"Tally? Did you hear a word of what I just said?" MacKenzie asked, irritation evident on his handsome face and in his voice.

"What?" Natalia responded in embarrassment, looking up from the food she'd been picking away at. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

The senior executive at Misriah Armory sighed audibly, trying to maintain control of his emotions, "I said...

**November 18, 2552, 1023 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

UNSC forces had poured into the city through the course of the night under the cover of darkness. The Covenant had seemed to be caught flat-footed so their response had been haphazard. So infantry supported by Scorpion tanks and Rhino M145D mobile artillery support platforms and Wolverine M9 main anti-air tanks punched through like a fist. The air was ruled by Longsword fighters who kept Covenant air elements at bay. The armoured fist moved easily linking up with the special operation forces. While those directing the fight and those on the ground were happy with the progress none figured the Covenant were going to roll over and give up. While the invaders had hit with only one fleet the resources at their disposal were still significant. So all waited for the storm.

For those leading the way some of those big picture ideas were lost in the grind of retaking the city street by street and block by block. For Mike and the Wolf Pack they had been moving steadily through the night. While he was happy with his progress the Covenant tactics were still curiosity to him. Though focusing on the task at hand the seasoned combat veteran also knew something was amiss in the way the Brute-led campaign was taking place. Still, that was not for him to concern himself with. He had matters of tactics and also preserving his command. For several hours now they'd been pushing forward after connecting with elements of 8th Armored. Though the heavy support was welcome it also caused the inevitable result of slowing their progress. On Mars he'd become more used to integrated operations but the operator was still adjusting to the reality of working with other, slower elements.

The air coming off Lake Erie was cool with a north breeze but the sun broke through early morning cloud and so began to warm up the city. For Mike it was irrelevant in his climate-controlled Mjolnir armor. Still, he could see it would be welcome for the infantry soldiers who were moving through the position his team held and beginning to fan out in order to widen their axis of advance. He was idly watching the troops and vehicles move through until his keen eyes spotted a surprising figure coming towards him.

"Hey, sarge," Mike called out with affection to a paunchy infantry NCO coming towards them.

"Hello son," the white haired sergeant called back joyfully but with a look of pleased surprise on his expressive, lined face. He came over to Mike and shook his hand warmly.

The rest of the Wolf Pack seemed surprised by the connection between their aggressive commander and this seemingly out-of-place infantryman.

"Guys, this is Sergeant Zebadiah Buckah. We served together on Reach," Mike introduced him to the team.

"Its first sergeant now," Buckah pointed proudly to the insignia patch on his uniform.

"Congratulation, sarge, well deserved," Mike returned genuinely. "I'd heard you made it off Reach."

"And I heard you did some pretty amazing things there and more recently on Mars," he responded.

Mike snorted but said nothing at the comment, embarrassed by the recognition as his team nodded their head in respect.

"Nothing to be embarrassed of, son," the wise man declared, noting Mike's discomfort. "And nothing wrong with a little recognition when you've gone above and beyond," the fatherly figure added as the rest of his squad began to gather around the now well-known Spartan. "God knows we sure need some good news and people to look up to these days." Buckah could see the growing discomfort of the Lone Wolf so changed topics. "So you're a team leader now? Good for you. And this must be the famous Wolf Pack."

"Famous?" Alissa interjected.

"Sure enough, miss," Buckah confirmed.

"Really?" Even Maia was now getting drawn in.

"Definitely. We've been hearing here on Earth about this new Spartan team. Even being talked about in the same breath as Noble Team. We're sure glad to have you here with us in Cleveland."

"Cool!" Matt exclaimed.

"Thanks, sarge," Maia responded.

"We're famous," Alissa mused, "never would have seen that coming."

"I find that hard to believe," Mike shot back flatly, deflating the enthusiasm of his team members which was not lost on the seasoned NCO.

"Mike, there's something I need to show you over there," he pointed to a pile of rubble at the end of the block. "The rest of you, hold this perimeter. We won't be long."

So as the Wolf Pack and Buckah's squad fanned out in a defensive formation the soldier led the Spartan to the location he'd pointed to.

"So what do you need to show me, sarge?" Mike asked. "We need to press on."

"You know, I'd planned on retiring on Reach before the Covvies invaded," Buckah declared, taking his helmet off and rubbing a hand through his shock of white hair. "The papers were in and I even had a nice place waiting for me in the Lake Provinces. Now it's under glass."

"That sucks," Mike said genuinely.

"That's not my point, son," Buckah shot back. "Things can change quick. My parents both died young, when I was 8. Both within the year of each other." He let the words sink in. "I was raised by my sister who was barely a teenager. We had people who were supposed to look after us take the money that had been left in trust for us and she had to deal with that too. I know you had it rough too with losing your family and all and people took advantage of you too. But that doesn't mean it's all over, Mike. You have choices and what you do with these choices define who you are, no matter how much time you've got left."

"We'll never be as good as Noble Team and I'll never be as good as Commander Carter," Mike declared miserably, emotion growing in his voice, finally able to share with someone the thing that had been gnawing at him since before the Covenant attack on Mars, something he'd been carrying almost since he'd been given the assignment.

Buckah put a comforting hand on the Spartan's shoulder. "Yours is not to try to measure up to anyone or anything. It's not about Noble or Carter. It's about you and those kids you lead. It's about doing what's right by them. Don't carry a burden that's not yours to bear. You do the best you can with what you have, you put your people first, defend those not able to defend themselves, conduct yourself with honor, and the rest will fall in place."

"Do you really think that's possible?" Mike asked with a sense of anticipation. "That it could be that simple?"

"Simple?" Buckah chuckled. "Son, that might be the hardest thing you do, harder than fighting a squad of Elites. But you can. Don't let legacy or ghosts from the past define who you are or even from trying to find joy in this God-awful thing. Every day before you is a gift, no matter what crap you find yourself in."

The wise NCO let the words sink in as he watched Mike steadily absorb what he'd said. "You ever hear the story of the optimistic little girl whose father wanted to give a lesson?"

"No," Mike answered, head swirling. It was almost as if he could feel the weight of the faded Congressional Medal of Honor from his family member awarded in the 21st century he carried in a utility pouch on his armor.

"She was given a pile of manure for her birthday and rather than be upset happily declared, 'oh daddy, this means I've gotten a pony'."

Mike couldn't help but laugh at the folksy story. "I think I get your point."

"Do you? You might be in a pile of crap but that doesn't mean what you have isn't a gift. It just comes down to what you do with it."

Despite his combat senses still being in full force Mike could also feel the emotions rising within. The sensors in his armor picked up a rising heart rate but he didn't need that as his eyes became glassy and his heart felt like it was being gripped. He'd never thought of it that way. He'd fatalistically just gone along with the game and the flow believing he had no input or choices in the flow. Yet hadn't the last few months shown him otherwise? He'd met and started a relationship with Natalia. He'd built and picked a team and he'd made a difference on Reach, maybe even helped humanity. His was not some perverse game; he was not some robot or wind-up toy. No, he was a man with choices and with the opportunity to build his own legacy.

"Thanks, sarge," Mike responded, swallowing heavily. "That means a lot and I definitely needed to hear that."

"You're a good man, Mike," Buckah affirmed, patting him affectionately on the shoulder. "You need to remember that."

"Yes he is," a female voice added, "and if he doesn't remember I'll be happy to remind him."

Mandy walked brazenly over to join the conversation, helmet in hand and chestnut brown ponytail bobbing behind her.

"Well hello missy," Buckah greeted her with a chuckle, but then added, "and keep your helmet on."

"Yes, dad," the pretty combat medic responded cheekily but complied with the suggestion.

"What are you doing here?" Mike asked in surprise, still processing what he'd been told.

"Duh! You think you're the only one fighting this war?" Mandy chided him playfully.

"Well, no, I know that," Mike stammered, caught off guard again. "I'm just surprised to see you, that's all."

Mandy laughed airily. "I'm just teasing you, silly," she returned, placing her hand on his armoured forearm. It's good to see you. Seems things have gone pretty well so far. You guys haven't left much for the rest of us to do."

"Thanks." Mike was pleased with the compliment. "So far, so good. We seemed to catch the Covvies unprepared but I'm sure their resistance will stiffen up soon enough."

"Well, with you and your team here I'm sure that won't be too hard for everybody," the medic responded confidently. "Hey, you're still going with that ONI girl I saw you with the other day, right?" Mandy asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"Yes, why?" Mike asked back cautiously.

"I saw a holo report of her out with some guy this morning at a fancy restaurant in New York. He's pretty cute but not as cute as you. See?" She pulled out her data device in one fluid motion and opened it to a tabloid site reporting Natalia's breakfast with MacKenzie.

"What are you doing looking at stuff like that when we're you're supposed to be working?" Sergeant Buckah asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"I've not had any casualties to treat," Mandy responded innocently. "I told you these guys are doing a great job."

"Yes, we are," Mike answered a bit slowly, caught off guard by the situation. Despite not wanting to look at the picture Mike couldn't help himself. There was Natalia dressed in civvies with a handsome man in expensive clothing, He knew there was likely a logical explanation for it but couldn't at the moment. The need to focus on the combat at hand plus their parting didn't do a good job of his head succeeding against his heart. He felt his hands grip his assault rifle harder as agitation grew.

"Okay, funny way to show it," Mandy responded with a shrug and feigned indifference but then added, "If it were me, I'd do it differently."

"That's really none of our business now, is it?" Buckah cut in.

"I guess," Mandy answered with another shrug. "I was just curious, that's all.

"It's no big deal," Mike answered though sounding unconvinced.

"Well, anyways, you guys are doing a great job here, all of you. I hope you know how much everyone appreciates your efforts and sacrifices," Mandy switched to encouragement now. "Besides, I like it when I have nothing better to do than look at trashy gossip pages, means people are safe."

Thanks, I appreciate it," Mike asked and the pair chatted for several minutes.

Mel watched the whole scene from her overwatch position impassively behind the visor of her helmet but she didn't need the bio monitor on her armor to tell her that her heart rate was increasing. The perceptive woman could feel not only that but the increase of agitating she was feeling. She watched the Army medic flirt with Mike and it didn't just annoy her but it made her angry.

_Easy there, girl_, she said to herself, _be patient_. Yet while it seemed good counsel from her head her heart held onto the emotion.

"I think we need to get rolling," Buckah announced to the pair as he eyed them suspiciously.

"So soon?" Mandy answered, getting the point but putting a pout onto her expressive face to declare her unhappiness though she knew not to push her luck.

"It was good to see you again, Mandy," Mike said genuinely putting his helmet on though he was still unsettled by what she'd shown him.

"It was good to see you too, Mike," she responded affectionately, patting his forearm then taking his hand and giving it a squeeze before skipping off merrily.

Buckah took off his helmet to scratch his scalp then put it back on and shook his head as he processed the scene. He could tell Mike's awkwardness even with his face covered with a visor so chose not to address it. Instead he said, "You're a good man, Mike, with a good heart, you remember that."

"Thanks sarge," Mike answered glad to not have to discuss the strange feelings he was having. "You take care of yourself. Hope to see you around."

The pair shook hands and Mike turned back to his team.

"What was that all about?" Melanie asked, an edge to her voice, joining the group.

"Beat's me," Mike responded with a shrug.

"Does it?" the female Spartan shot back.

"What do you mean by that?" Mike asked, confused by her line of questioning.

"Nothing," Melanie declared as impassively as she could. "Let's get moving, we've got ground to take." She walked away from her now very confused teammate, chiding herself for showing that much emotion and potentially tipping her hand.

But she didn't need to fear that as Mike stared at her in confusion.

Several miles away a drama of another nature was about to begin playing out.

"Keep moving!" the ODST corporal barked as the UNSC forces who'd freed the human prisoners from Progressive Field tried to move them to safety. There was a narrow corridor the ODST forces held that was moving them to safety but already Covenant forces were pressing the rear guard hard, threatening to undo the brilliant plan that had been executed to liberate the captured citizens of Cleveland. Though the UNSC had a solid foothold in the suburbs here the invaders of Earth still had a significant advantage so the Helljumpers had moved through the night after getting the several thousand civilians out from where they'd been held. But the work had been tougher and slower than the planners had anticipated since many were not up the journey. Several vehicles had been commandeered for the weaker and slower of the group but the vast majority were on foot and not able to maintain the pace the seasoned combat veterans had wanted.

Ruwan and Myras had been caught up in the moment and the desperation of escape so had automatically moved along with the rest and were eager to follow the instructions they'd been given but now the insightful young man had been thinking about this whole invasion and what he'd figured out when they were being held prisoner. He'd been wanting to do something to fight back against the invaders but couldn't figure out what until now. It was like a light switch came on or was perhaps revelation from the Divine but he knew he had to speak before he got too far into the evacuation.

"I know why the Covenant are here," Ruwan stopped suddenly in front of the ODST trooper who'd been directing them along causing Myras to bump into him and others moving closely behind to do the same thing.

"Keep going, we can't stop, we need to keep moving," the Helljumper declared ignoring him and looking around for threats.

"But I know why they attacked Cleveland specifically," Ruwan pressed, holding his ground.

Myras realized what he was doing so stood with him.

"Doesn't matter," the ODST corporal countered, swivelling his battle rifle back and forth, covering his arcs. "Get going."

"You have to listen," Ruwan stood fast even though he'd been given a subtle shove. "It was a trick by my brother who's in the army to keep the Covenant from glassing this place."

"What do you mean?" the ODST with the name 'Ritchie' on his armor asked, suddenly curious.

" Don't you think it's weird they'd have so many civvies holed up in that stadium?" Ruwan pressed. "Or that there's been so little destruction of the city?"

"Well, I guess that is kind of unusual," Ritchie granted. "But so what?"

"They're looking for something," the young man explained, "Something called the Key of Osanalan."

"Key of what?" the ODST asked.

"Osanalan," Ruwan confirmed.

"He's right," Myras joined in, finally picking up of what her companion of late had been trying to get across. "They were interrogating everyone and asking about it."

"Okay, so again, so what?" Ritchie asked. "We've heard the Covvies are looking for old stuff all the time. "What does that have to do with us?"

"It's not real," Ruwan declared. "It's something that my brother and I made up as kids. He's a colonel in the Army now and was on Mars. Now they're here, looking for it."

Ritchie looked at them curiously, as if assessing what he was hearing and its significance. Both Ruwan and Myras held their breath in anticipation of what he'd do. "Hey lieutenant, sarge, I have something here you need to listen to," the corporal called over his platoon commanders.

Fifteen minutes later Ruwan and Myras were moving into the city instead of away escorted by Corporal Ritchie and two other ODSTs.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**November 18, 2552, 2130 hours, New York City, New York, America, planet Earth**

With the lights of the city twinkling through the plate glass window Spanner Misriah terminated the call he was on and put down his device with a heavy sigh, missing the beauty of the sight before him.

"Trouble?" Natalia asked, wanting to connect with her father. She'd met with MacKenzie Wainwright earlier in the day. She'd been distracted and the conversation hadn't gone well. Natalia had unequivocally told the man that she loved Mike and there was nothing left between them. She'd thought to try to soften the blow by telling the man they could be friends but she knew that was a lie. He was tied to the past she was trying to forget and move on from. Plus she doubted the possessive and proud man would settle for that so she'd left the idea in the recesses of her mind. For his part MacKenzie had been cold towards her then after her declaration his mood had an underlying hostility that he could barely keep in check and the rest of their time together had been strained and barely polite.

But Natalia didn't care.

The nightmares she'd been regularly having didn't help her mood plus worry about Mike and the state of their relationship had left her little patience for the pampered executive. He'd rebound from her, sooner than he should.

"Yes, but nothing I can't handle." The billionaire industrialist responded, dismissing the question. But then he looked at his daughter and could see she wanted to help or at least listen. A moment of truth came for the private man who'd pledged to draw closer to the one thing that he now realized he valued the most so decided to be as open as he was capable.

"I can handle it, but it is on my mind," Spanner confessed. "I have a hearing before a UEG Department of Industry tribunal tomorrow so I'm getting ready for it." He paused and could see the genuine concern and interest on her face so decided to share with her. "I guess it's more of a distraction to me than I think."

"Is it about your plants on Mars?" Natalia asked, remembering the dormant production factories on Mars that she'd visited before the Covenant attacked.

"So you figured that out did you?" Spanner answered with an ironic chuckle, remembering the reports he'd received from his managers there of her visits.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," she responded, "there was little to no production going on and after the loss of Reach it didn't make sense that they'd be closed for routine maintenance."

"You're a smart girl," Spanner acknowledged.

"I'm a Misriah," Natalia shot back. "So what's going on?"

Spanner Misriah looked at his daughter who was looking back at him with a firm look on her face and decided to be honest. "I had moved production from my Mars factories to other locations but I was keeping it quiet."

"Why?"

"Because I knew Mars was likely to be attacked and technically I'm not allowed to do that without permission of the Department of Industry. Once Reach fell is was not a matter of 'if' but of 'when' the Covenant found us. I know how long UEG bureaucrats take to approve anything so I did it myself because I didn't want to lose everything I'd worked so hard to build so easily."

Spanner could feel himself holding his breath as he waited for his daughter's response fearing she would reject him because of the decision. He could see her deep in thought processing the information but at the same time was proud of how she'd been able to figure things out.

"I get why you did that, it makes sense," Natalia acknowledged, nodding her head slightly for emphasis. "It was wrong but I do get it but I appreciate you sharing that with me, this could be a first."

Spanner breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go and be honest. A lot has changed since I thought you were dead. I want to try to do things right from now on."

Natalia came over and wrapped her arms around her father and gave him a big hug and suddenly he knew everything would be okay. An idea had been rolling around in his head and the support of his daughter seemed to give him the push he needed to actually do it.

**November 19, 2552, 0910 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"Tell me again about this key," the sergeant with the name 'Twyker' on his standard Marine BDU's asked Ruwan.

The hotel concierge and his travelling companion had been brought stealthily well into the city and behind Covenant lines before descending under Cleveland and into the sewers. There a secret Special Operations base had been established to assist in disrupting the invaders efforts and assisting with the operation to retake the city.

"It's called the Key of Osanalan," Ruwan Ackerson repeated himself.

"And it's not real," Twyker confirmed, "it's just something you and your brother who's a colonel in the army made up?"

"That's right."

Twyker rubbed his granite jaw as he looked at the civilian and attractive lady before him with penetrating blue eyes. He was wary of misinformation but the pair really had no motivation to lie. In many ways it made sense since the Covenant had not glassed the city but had instead systematically rounded up as much of the civilian population that they could gather and had seemed to be attempting to interrogate them when the ODST's had attacked and freed them. But what to do with the valuable information he possessed?

"Okay, so what do we do with this information?" the Marine senior NCO mused looking over to a sergeant with the name 'Wesley' on his BDU's.

"We use it to fight back!" Ruwan declared passionately.

"I wasn't asking for your input, son," the sergeant retorted but he realized the man with fire in his eyes was correct. "Maybe you're right,' Twyker admitted.

"Maybe," the Marine sergeant who was the Intel Operations Manager for this cell added, still processing. "It does bear considering though."

"Thank you," Ruwan said, calming down. "I've been thinking about this. Is there any way we could use this to mess with their invasion?"

"Possibly," Westley was now starting to think. "We know its only a small battle group that's invaded the city so if there was a way we could use this to figure out where their command group is we could probably get a strike mission from one of our ODP's."

"Now we're talking!" Ruwan responded aggressively.

Twyker looked at Wesley who gave a nod of his head in approval. "Hang tight, I'm going to run this up the chain of command and see what we can do with it. Regardless, thanks for sticking your neck out to share this with us. I appreciate it."

Ruwan beamed at the compliment while Myras looked at him with a new respect and growing attraction.

Mike and the Wolf Pack had been moving in fits and starts throughout the night but had finally stopped for a rest. It wasn't that the Spartans needed it but they were starting to out-advance the rest of the attacking force and with the lines of advance becoming more fluid the risk of friendly fire was all too real. The Covenant forces had also seemed to finally get their acts together so resistance was stiffening and a more co-ordinated effort seemed to be taking place to hold the city from recapture.

"Hey, you want to swap protein bars?" Matt asked Maia, coming over to sit beside her as the team took the chance to grab a meal of MREs.

"I thought you loved the peanut butter ones?" she responded as she pulled the one she had out of her Meal-Ready-To-Eat packet.

"I do," he answered trying to give an awkward shrug, "but I know you really like them too."

"That's sweet," the observant, quiet girl responded. Looking at the team's assaulter she looked for any trick or subtefurge but could only see a genuineness in the stocky Spartan that was starting to give her pause for thought. "Thanks, I appreciate that. And I will swap with you."

The exchange done Matt turned to walk back to his spot.

"No, wait," Maia called out, "stay and sit with me."

The interchange was lost on Mike as was the overall tactical situation. The Lone Wolf had fallen easily back into the world of small party operations. His world now was team movements and the immediate UNSC forces the Wolf Pack was working with. He liked the simplicity of advance-to-contact. You find your enemy, then point and shoot. It was far less complex than relationships. His conversation with Mandy had unsettled him. He finally had enough experience to know the pretty medic was not only flirting with him but was also interested. He was flattered by the attention but didn't worry about confused feelings. Their relationship was built around their shared experiences on Reach and nothing romantic. But Mike found himself starting to brood over what she'd shown him on her tablet. The fact she'd done it to try to get a reaction was less irritating than the content himself. There was Natalia, out for what looked like breakfast, with another man. And not just another man but an obviously successful and handsome one. He tried not to read into it but it was hard and he found himself brooding over it. He knew her past and her past reputation, Natalia had affirmed that herself. So what was going on here? Likely nothing? Or was there? They'd not left on the best of terms and so after seeming to move forward in their relationship yet again they seemed to slide back. Mike wanted to yell at the top of his lungs in frustration but the disciplined warrior instead held it in and pushed it down.

Then there was Mel.

The recon Spartan and childhood training partner had been a good replacement for Adam while he recovered from a fighting standpoint but there was a tension between the two of them Mike couldn't put his finger on. She was acting in a passive-aggressive fashion, one minute acting almost like Mandy and the next treating him like he didn't exist. It never impacted her combat fitness, her discipline there was something he appreciated, but there was definitely something going on. Yep, he wanted to just yell so instead he did the next best thing.

"Matt, take us out," Mike called out with more edge than he wanted, "time to get this show back on the road."

Break time was over.

**November 19, 1000 Hours, UN Building, New York City, United States, Planet Earth**

The United Nations building in New York had changed little since it was first built back in the 20th century. Whether that was by design or circumstance none cared anymore. The once hope of mankind to bring peace had given way to the Unified Earth Government in the late 22nd century coming out of the interplanetary wars that ravaged the Sol System during that period. The UEG had evolved out of the UN but as is the case with government bureaucracy, the former organization was able to still hang on though none understood why considering the obvious redundancy. But for today none cared as a much anticipated inquiry was about to take place.

_Bang bang bang_

The gavel struck three times to call those assembled to order.

"This session of the United Earth Government Department of Industry tribunal will come to order," the chair, a heavyset Brazilian man with receding hairline called.

The murmur of the crowd gave way to a quiet of anticipation.

"Spanner Misriah, you as owner and principal of Misriah Armory have been called before this panel to answer the charge of unauthorized production movement. Based on the findings of this panel formal, criminal charges may be laid. Do you understand this Mr. Misriah?"

"I do, Mr. Chair," Spanner responded comfortably, a trio of confident lawyers sitting beside him.

Good, then let us begin."

The head of the seven person panel allowed the packed gallery to settle down as cameras began to record the event. Despite fighting going on in Africa and now in America many were interested in this event. The discovery that Misriah Armory had moved production off of Mars seemed to many a wise move but to the governing body this was a dangerous act of independence by its controversial principal Spanner Misriah.

"Mr. Misriah, this panel is not interested in wasting its members valuable time with pleasantries and talking around the issue," the chair, Rodolpho Ribeiro, a career bureaucrat opened officiously. "Therefore we will get to the matter of hand. You are accused of moving military production in a time of war in contravention of UEG Directive M3600-25A-550. We are prepared to bring evidence to this fact and from this will make a recommendation. How do you plead?"

"Mr. Chair, I plead guilty," Spanner Misriah stated openly as his lawyers watched impassively.

The crowd gasped collectively and then exploded at the declaration.

"Order! I will have order!" Ribeiro demanded, banging his gavel angrily.

It took several minutes for the meeting room to calm down but already this was the lead story for the day around the world.

"You do understand the ramifications for your declaration, Mr. Misriah?" the senior bureaucrat declared, though wary at the lack of reaction from any of the man's team. "This tribunal not only has the authority to recommend criminal charges be laid but also bring economic sanctions against your company."

"I do."

"Then proceed with your defense," the chair stated, settling back into his overstuffed leather chair.

Rather than one of his lawyers opening Spanner Misriah stood instead before the panel who sat behind a long, polished table. "Mr. Chair, I openly and honestly admit to moving production from my facilities on the planet Mars in contravention to the mentioned directives."

"Then we have no further need to waste the valuable time of this tribunal, I recommend…," the chairman began but was cut off by Spanner.

"You cut me off before I was finished," the confident industrialist stated matching glares with the bureaucrat, "may I continue?"

"Yes, carry on."

"Thank you." Spanner didn't gloat at the discomfort of the chair but instead looked up and down the panel then into the gallery before speaking anew. "After the fall of Reach there became a certain inevitability to the discovery of our system despite the best efforts of the Cole Protocol. This put not just the UNSC at risk but Earth. The Covenant is fighting a war of extermination glassing systems and planets in its wake. We need to be able to fight back as effectively as we can."

"Your point?" Ribeiro pressed.

"My point is Misriah Armory provides the majority of the UNSC's weapons in both the small and heavy arms and ammunition departments. I can share the exact statistics with you if you'd like," Spanner declared, reaching for a file from one of his team for effect.

"That's not necessary, we're all aware of your importance to our war effort. That is the point of this tribunal," the chair said pointedly.

"Then we all would be in agreement the protection of that production should be of paramount importance, not procedural nuances."

The pained look on Ribeiro's face showed he realized too late he'd walked into Spanner Misriah's trap.

"You see, and I hope would agree, governance has become bloated and slow to react, a luxury we can no longer afford. I point to the example of the loss of Verent in 2549, a Tier 3 planet, which that part of the Outer Colonies never recovered from. Or let's point to the loss of Scorpion tank production when Meridian was lost. So I don't need to say we'll be feeling the loss of Reach for some time now." Spanner stopped to let his point sink in, waiting for the chair to interrupt which the man didn't.

"The majority of my company's war material production was on Mars which from a business standpoint made sense until Reach fell. I knew then that things had to change or our war effort would be compromised. So I undertook to spread production to Earth and other planets to give us the best chance of continuing, for the good of humanity."

"For the good of humanity?" Ribeiro shot back sarcastically. "And we're to believe you gained nothing from this?"

"I undertook all shifts in production at my own personal expense," Spanner countered, "which was considerable I might add."

"Yes, yes, that has already been determined," the chair shot back. "But your reckless action endangered the war effort of the UNSC."

"I would respectfully disagree," Spanner answered calmly, standing his ground. "I continued to maintain agreed upon production levels during the period of transition."

"At the lower end of the band!" Ribeiro pressed back.

"True, but still within the UEG Industrial Department's guidelines while ensuring continued production. I shouldn't have to add, but I will to be sure we're clear, if I hadn't done that we now would have lost all production on that planet. So while we would not be having this unpleasant meeting we'd be in far worse shape."

Several in the gallery gasped audibly at the realization the implications of the statement held drawing a glare from Rodolpho Ribeiro but a buzz of conversation began to ignite the room as even a pair of panel members began to whisper to each other.

"That is not the point!" the chair thundered. "We have procedures and protocols for the smooth functioning of the UEG and UNSC. You arrogantly make too many assumptions, Mr. Misriah, about how this organization works. Rather than arbitrarily taking matters into your own hands you should have filed the proper request, with this reasoning, and the matter could have been handled properly."

"And how long would the processing of that request take before permission would have been granted?" Spanner pressed, quiet but confident.

"It would have been processed in an expeditious manner considering the seriousness of the time," Ribeiro answered evasively, clearly uncomfortable with the question.

"Like Acheron Security's properly filed request to move production from Planet Reach when it was thought there were insurrectionists working there a month before the Covenant invaded? The same Acheron who took over Scorpion production after Chalybs Defense Solutions went out of business when Meridian fell?"

"I'm not sure the relevance of that question. This has to do with Misriah Armory. You will restrict your discussion to that matter only," the heavyset Brazilian ordered.

"Which was finally granted by your department," Spanner pressed in for the kill, "not only after that vital factory complex was under glass on Reach but their factories on Mars had been lost too."

The gallery exploded in discussion at the declaration.

"I have a copy of the final approval here if you'd like to see it!" Spanner tried to yell above the din of the crowd but it was lost in the point he'd made.

It took several minutes for Ribeiro to restore order to the public meeting and by the time he did it was obvious the proud man had been defeated, glowering at Spanner Misriah but unsure how to proceed.

Instead one of the panel members with a Texas drawl spoke. "Why I don't agree with what Mr. Misriah did I have to commend his forsight. He's saved war production and given us a fighting chance. I'm going to vote for clemency."

A new murmur filled the room.

"Order!" the chair called out, recovering his voice and banging his gavel. "Mr. Irving, we're not at that stage yet."

"It was a breach of protocol, to be sure, but these are desperate times and we don't need to be wasting time with bureaucracy, we need more men like this who will do what's necessary to win this war," a slender middle aged French female panel member added.

A certain inevitability seemed to take place.

Ribeiro looked up and down the length of the table at each of the panel members who nodded their heads in agreement.

It was over.

"Mr. Misriah. It is our recommendation that no charges be pressed and that you are free to continue your business," Ribeiro declared though bitterness was evident in his voice. "That being said, please in the future keep those on the government side apprised of your actions. You'll find we're all on the same team."

"Thank you Mr. Chair, I appreciate your understanding and graciousness," Spanner replied humbly and honestly. "I've learned a lot these past few weeks and so the confidence you showed in me will not go unnoticed. I'll do everything I can to help the war effort."

"Well if that's it, then I will call this session…."

"Mr. Chairman," Spanner cut him off before he could drop the gavel and close the session. "May I say something, on the record?"

The chair glared at the man anew then looked at the other members of the panel who all nodded their assent. "Proceed."

"Most of you know me and know my story. Most of you also likely know what kind of person I've been most of my life." Spanner Misriah paused to ensure he had everyone's attention though his initial remarks had done the trick. "But of late a number of things have changed and it's gotten me thinking about what's important and what isn't." The confident man paused and swallowed, suddenly nervous but then looking into the gallery he saw Natalia smiling at him proudly so gained the courage to say what was on his mind regardless of consequence. "There are a group of soldiers fighting desperately for us now, no. supersoldiers, who are misunderstood and misrepresented. We all know and appreciate the sacrifices of the legendary Master Chief. Most don't know there are not many Spartan IIs out there. The bulk of Spartan special operations has been carried out by the class III'. Do we remember though these are not robots but people? Do we know many of them are teenagers?"

A murmur with several gasps went up.

"Like you, I'd forgotten that key point. They are more than expendable killing machines but instead are human beings who have rights, or should have the same basic rights we give to all our military personnel in the UNSC. But they don't. Of late I've seen how they've been treated up close and it embarrasses me. I thought like most of you, what does it matter? How does it impact me? As long as they were doing their job I didn't care. But they have hopes and dreams and names like Alissa and Adam and Terrell. Names like Maia…and Mike." Spanner wanted to look to his daughter, feeling strangely vulnerable but was coming to his conclusion so didn't want to break the flow. "May we not forget them. Yes, salute them, revere them as the heroes they are but never, never forget they are flesh and blood, they are our children, and so as precious as our own. I know I never will again."

The hall exploded with thunderous applause as Spanner sat down. He was stunned and a bit embarrassed by the response but then he saw Natalia. Tears streaming down her face, crying, but with a look of pride in her father Spanner Misriah had never seen before. Yes, he was a different man.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**November 19, 2552, 1400 hours, The Hive, Melbourne Australia, planet Earth**

"Admiral, you have to see this!" Serin Osman burst into Admiral Parangosky's office unannounced in a high state of agitation.

Parangosky checked her angry retort for the interruption when she saw the look of concern on her aide's face. "What is it, Serin?"

The captain turned her datapad over and placed it on the admiral's desk, displaying the video capture of Spanner Misriah's speech.

"Yes, I know. Misriah's tribunal was today," CINCONI's irritation growing at the interruption. "I already know they're not going to press charges against him. I expected as much, desperate times lead to such sentimentality."

"It's not that, it's what happened afterwards," the scheming woman's aide answered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Spanner Misriah made a plea for the Spartans," Osman explained. "He named the IIIs."

"He did what?" Now the admiral was paying complete attention.

"He put out a call for humane treatment of the Spartans."

"Did he name us?" Parangosky asked, mind already starting to spin at the unexpected news.

"No, but social media has exploded with the story," Osman explained, deftly flipping her datapad to several popular sites to show her boss and mentor. "People are starting to ask questions and its coming down to rest on us."

Margaret Parangosky wanted to scream. Not only was the war effort going poorly but her own personal agenda was getting sideswiped. She took three deep breathes. "Very well. This changes nothing."

"Are you sure ma'am?"

"What's anyone going to do? We're at war and we need the Spartans. We actually might be able to spin this to our advantage to advance our Section III Spartan IV Project."

"How's that?" Osman asked in surprise.

"Simple, my dear Serin," Parangosky answered serenely, "we go back to taking adult volunteers like Project Orion and not kidnapping children."

"I still don't see this not staining us."

"Everything can be pinned onto Catherine Halsey. She's the real monster here, we're the heroes," the admiral added confidently.

Once again Serin Osman was surprised by the level of thought her boss and mentor could go to. The woman left no stone unturned.

"Oh, and one more thing," Parangosky added almost as an afterthought, though in truth there were so such things with the calculating woman, "issue a recall order for Natalia Misriah. She's had far too much rest and it's time for her to go back to work. We need her back at the Hive."

"We don't need her!" Osman shot back, instantly regretting the display of emotion.

"Well, that is true, Serin," Parangosky let the oversight go, enjoying watching her attaché squirm at the oversight. "But she also doesn't need to be in New York anymore either. Sent the order flash and mark it urgent. We need her here within 48 hours."

Back in New York, outside the conference room of the UN a crowd of people surrounded Spanner Misriah. Media reporters wanted sound bites and others wanted to connect with the man but he looked through the surging crowd security was having trouble controlling for only one. The he saw her.

"Daddy I'm so proud of you!" Natalia cried, as she pushed through the throng and buried herself into her father's arms. "That was so brave of you!" She'd pushed aside the nightmare about Mars she'd had again the previous night, drawing strength from what she'd just witnessed. At first she'd wanted to talk to her father about what was going on since Mike was gone but didn't want to spoil the moment.

"Thanks Tali, that means a lot," Spanner Misriah answered, getting misty eyed himself. The emotions he was feeling were strange to the man used to being under control but also felt strangely good. "I've been thinking about our conversation the other night. And after everything Mike and the rest have gone through its time people began to not only appreciate but respect who they are."

"What now?" Natalia asked.

"I don't know," Spanner replied with a shrug. "One day at a time, I guess. But for now, let's go get something to eat."

**November 19, 2552, 1145 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"Push forward!" Mike ordered the company of Army soldiers the Wolf Pack had been supporting. The Covenant had aggressively counter-attacked bringing more troops to bear and so the UNSC forces seeking to retake the city had been pushed back. This happened all along the human's axis of advance putting the Special Operations forces such as the Spartans in high demand.

Terrell began to hammer away with his machine gun at the waves of Grunts seeking to break the human line while Matt aggressively charged a group of Jackals blasting them with his shotgun. Maia fired controlled bursts from here BR55 battle rifle creating an effective one-two punch. Mike got out in front of the soldiers absorbing fire with his Mjolnir armor in the attempt to regain the initiative. Alissa had found an advantageous spot and began looking for Covenant leaders to snipe while Melanie used the chaos to blend into the surroundings and move on her own to disrupt the concentrating Covenant forces.

The Army troops with them fell into their battle procedures and began to skirmish forward though not as aggressively as the Spartans causing some confusion and hesitation to fire on both parts due to poor communications. Two Warthogs began to provide covering fire with their M41 Vulcan LAAGs only adding to the general confusion. So what could have been a devastating response ended up coming off piecemeal.

But that was not the worst problem the human's moving to retake Cleveland faced.

The expected roar of Brutes joined the din of battle and this was going to turn into more than a skirmish, it was now a full on fight.

Two brute shot grenades landed in the midst of the charging soldiers. Going off they not only threw several of them in the air like rag dolls but also caused general chaos halting the advance. The projectiles had come in from the side and several more followed.

"Ambush!" Mike called. "Fall back and consolidate! Alissa, look for those gunners."

They'd walked into a hasty Covenant ambush but it had been effective enough to disrupt the human advance. They'd need to hold and wait for help. The aggressive Spartan swore to himself at the reality since if he was on his own, or with just his Spartan team, he'd fight through. Now though they'd need to wait for help for the Army soldiers. He dropped a Brute captain who'd come out between two houses in the neighborhood they'd been advancing through with a well-aimed burst from his assault rifle then threw three frag grenades in quick succession to check the advance of the rest of the hairy beast's pack all the time doing an assessment.

"Wolf 5, Terrell, shift fire right and check that group of Brutes forming on our flank," Mike ordered his machine gunner to try to halt the charging Jiralhanae who threated to cut the advancing group in half.

Seeing also a group of Kig-Yar Skirmishers coming out of the shadows he shifted focus. "Wolf 3, Wolf 6, break up that group forming on our left. Don't let them go to ground and set up any kind of firebase," Mike ordered Maia and Matt.

A group of nearly fifty Grunts came warbling and screaming right down the street they'd been advancing on trying to act as a fist to punch through the thin human line.

"Army, with me, let's break 'em up," Mike ordered.

So with the armor-clad Spartan leading the way instead of hold the UNSC forces charged as well right into the swarming Grunts which caught them off guard. Firing his assault rifle in three-round bursts he hit the methane tanks of the lead two Unggoy which exploded and sent green gas all over their advance causing the already skittish creatures to panic. So while some continued to charge, others peeled off and sill more ran away ending the well laid out ambush.

With the Grunts in retreat they could now focus on the Brutes who stilled posed a threat. "Shift fire right," Mike ordered the Army troopers, "hammer those Brutes!"

So with Spartan and Army fire the Brutes were forced to pull back while the Skirmishers had no chance to set up just as Mel dropped several grenades into their deploying reserve force. The ambush had been checked but the cost had been high as a number of Army troopers were down.

"Juggernaut Main, this is Wolfpack Actual," Mike called over the comms.

"Go ahead Actual, this is Main," the controller for this particular section of the theatre of operations replied.

"Be advised, we are facing Covenant effective fire on our position and have several soldiers down and in need of CASEVAC," Mike reported, calling for medical assistance.

"Do you require fire or air support, Wolfpack Actual?" the organizer at their headquarters back in Akron asked likely switching to a camera or drone feed to get a better assessment of the situation.

"Negative," Mike responded with an edge to his voice, "we can handle the fight but need assistance with the wounded so we can press on and regain the initiative."

"Roger that, understood. ETA on dust off is twenty plus mikes."

"Twenty minutes?" Mike demanded more than asked.

"Lots of activity on the front right now," the controller explained patiently, "hang tight Wolfpack Actual, we'll get to you. Juggernaut Main out."

Mike swore to himself. Things just kept getting more complicated for him. Every time he seemed to find peace and a path forward something rose up to try to drag him down.

"Ready to push," Matt reported, eager to move.

"Wait one," Mike countered, "we hold and form a defensive line."

"Hold? This is nothing, we can sweep them," the aggressive assaulter shot back, pushing the control limits of the 'Smoothers' all the Gamma Company Spartans took to level out their emotions after their augmentation.

"I get that, but we need to stay for CASEVAC," Mike worked hard to keep his voice calm and not betray his own frustration at the situation. Already the Covenant forces that had attacked them had melted back into the neighborhood likely preparing their next ambush location. Sporadic sniper fire remained to keep them pinned down but Mike could see this would be a day where they moved at a snail's pace which was not what they were trained or prepared for.

"What's the plan, boss?" Mel asked, coming over to join Mike and Matt who looked like he had more to stay.

"We hold this position until dust off arrives for the casualties then we move out," Mike reported.

"Going to take some time and slow us down," Mel pointed out.

"I know that, Mel," Mike shot back aggressively.

Mel held up her hands. "Okay, just asking."

An ionized hydrogen round from a particle beam rifle sizzled in and splashed on Mike's Mjolnir armor causing a slight drain. In anger Mike turned and fired off a controlled burst in the direction of the sniper before turning back to his 2ic. "That's fine," he huffed.

"So why don't I go out and scout the area a bit so we know what's going on?" the recon Spartan asked.

"No," Mike shot back a bit too aggressively, "Army is too thin on the ground now and we need all hands on deck to hold this position if there's another Covvie push. No time for freelancing."

"Got it, we hold," Mel responded with a shrug and turned and walked away.

"Mel, wait," Mike called, knowing he'd reacted poorly and not acted properly but the proud woman kept walking. "Shit," he said to himself.

_What's wrong with me?_ Mike thought to himself. _I'm having trouble maintaining my cool and then this? It was a good idea, why couldn't I acknowledge it? And why am I being such a dick to Mel? _

The wind picked up and blew some dead fall leaves past the man, a reflection of his mood. If Mike was honest he was agitated not at the situation or his friend from Onyx but rather the picture he'd been shown by Mandy of Natalia out with some guy. There was likely some good explanation. They loved each other, he knew that. But still, there was this. Their conversation when he'd left had not gone well and there was a tension between them again. Had that led to what happened? He could scream and was frustrated anew at the growing emotions he was having trouble controlling. Then there was Mel who was giving him some real mixed signals. They'd never really had the chance to finish the conversation that had begun on Mars right before the Covenant invaded and then with things progressing with Natalia he'd kind of tried to forget it had happened.

But had Mel?

He'd never really thought about her feelings since then. Yes, the woman had volunteered for the mission to rescue Natalia but it likely was out of loyalty, or dare he think affection for him, rather than a desire to help the billionaire's daughter. That thought hit him like a 102 round from a jackhammer rocket launcher. So what were they supposed to do? What was he supposed to do? _Oh yea, and I have to fight this damn war at the same time AND figure all this crap out?_

It was a lot easier being a lone wolf.

_What are you doing, Mel_, she thought to herself as she went to find a good overwatch position. _You really want this guy? He's treating you like crap while little Princess Natalia sits back in New York going out for breakfast. Are you really that stupid? _

But the seasoned operator and keen observer knew the source of Mike's frustration. After their initial drop into the city with the ODST's they'd been tasked as cover for a UNSC Army column and so were forced to move at their pace. It bothered her so she knew how much it bothered him who had been placed in overall command of the battle group.

Then there was the incident with that annoying Army medic Mandy.

The picture Mandy had shown Mike had bothered him a lot though others didn't see that. They had history; Mel knew when he was off. Yes, it might impact operational efficiency though she knew the Wolf wouldn't let it but there was more. _If that bitch hurts Mike I swear to God I'll find her and slit her throat_, Mel pledged. The proud woman would say it was as an act of loyalty but in reality she knew she was jealous for what they had and she now realized she desired.

What each needed right now was the distraction of action and instead they were left to stew in their thoughts waiting for a Pelican to show up and take their wounded.

**November 19, 2552, ****1314hrs, New York City, United States, Planet Earth**

Though filled with resolve Natalia was still nervous and every fiber of her body protested being there but the woman still walked through the doors of the hospital on the military base with a purpose. She'd had a pleasant lunch with her father and they'd both genuinely enjoyed the time together as their relationship grew.

Something had not been sitting right with Natalia though. Her father's courage to not only face the tribunal but also to speak so favorably about the Spartans had struck a chord with her. His example had both inspired and challenged her to do what she knew she must- visit Adam-G040 in the hospital. The teenage Spartan had been seriously wounded in her rescue on Mars and while the place made her uncomfortable she knew she had to do this. It was time to no longer hide behind privilege or do what was in her best interest and instead be an encouragement to the world around her and use whatever skills and resources she possessed to make the world around her a better place.

So entering the hospital Natalia found Adam's room in the recovery wing and took the elevator up to his floor. Her mind protested the action but resolution to do the right thing overwhelmed her selfish instinct. Entering his room without fanfare she found the young Spartan awake and alert lying in his bed dressed in green hospital clothes. Looking up at the ceiling Adam turned his head at the sound of her coming in to stand beside his bed.

"Ma'am?" Adam asked, his expressive face turning quizzical at the unexpected visitor.

"Good afternoon, Adam," Natalia replied suddenly unsure of what to say or how to act.

"Is everything okay with the team?" he asked, misunderstanding the intention of her unexpected visit.

"No, everything's fine as far as I know with them," Natalia answered hastily to set the Spartan's mind at ease. "I wanted to come by and see how you were doing and also to say thank you for what you did rescuing me on Mars."

"Oh, okay, that's good to hear." The tense teenager relaxed and lay back at ease again on the bed. "And you're welcome but I'd do anything for my family."

"Excuse me?" Natalia blurted out before she could catch herself.

"The team, they're my family," Adam explained. Then, eyes becoming glassy, he stated, "I should be out there with them, not stuck in here." The teenage Spartan remembered his conversation with Mike and the bitterness of being left behind surged again.

Guilt welled up, tasting like bile, in the already guilty woman whose rescue had led to this situation. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't got you caught up in my problems you wouldn't have been wounded and you'd be out there with them."

"Not your fault, ma'am," Adam declared, fixing her with a stare. "That's just war. And going for you was the right thing to do. Mike wanted to do it alone and there was no way we were going to let him do that."

"He did want to go alone, didn't he?" Natalia remembered.

"Yea, he pushed hard for us to stay behind, but you know teenagers, we can be kind of stubborn," Adam declared with a mischievous grin.

"And you all came to get me and you got wounded," Natalia repeated, voice dropping as her mind began to spin.

"It was the right thing to do," Adam reiterated, "and I'd do it again in a minute." Then the fire of resolution left the teen and he became suddenly insecure. "I just wish I was out there with them. With Mel as the 2ic I'm afraid they won't need me anymore."

"Don't say that Adam!" Natalia blurted out, as concerned for the implications for her as much as for the troubled Spartan. "You're a key part of the team and you bring a lot to them."

"Do you really think that?"

"I know it. Mike's talked about you a lot and how important you are to the team," Natalia replied trying to encourage Adam while at the same time feeling her own confidence drop anew. "I just wish I was as important to someone."

"You are to the CO."

"Do you really think so?"

"Why do you think he risked not only his life but his career to get you? We were given direct orders to not go and he did it anyways. We almost got into a fight with a section of MP's but we still came. Why do you think that is?"

"Because Mike cares about me and you all are about him."

"Because he loves you," Adam emphasized, "and would risk everything for you."

"Thank you Adam, that means more to me than I can ever express to you," Natalia replied, her own eyes become misty at the thought. Mike did care about her, he loved her. Again she was embarrassed by the selfish and self-centered way she'd acted when he'd pulled out. He was going into harm's way, leading a group he cared deeply about into dangerous combat and she'd not been able to control her emotions and not treat him better. Yes, there'd been her dreams and the insensitive way he'd responded but that was still no excuse to act like, what, a spoiled little rich girl? She had much to learn and more to grow still but she was determined in the face of this reminder to do it for both their sakes.

For the next half hour Natalia and Adam spent a pleasant time chatting with each other and putting both of their troubles behind until an orderly came in and announced it was time for the young Spartan to go for his afternoon physio.

Natalia was in a better frame of mind as she left Adam's room and began to walk out of the hospital but she stopped in her tracks when she heard her name called.

"Lieutenant Commander Misriah?"

Natalia looked into the ward room her name had come out of and instantly recognized the young man who'd called out to her. "Josh Shoemaker?" she said, walking into the room.

"Yes ma'am," he confirmed, a wide smile filling his expressive face, "it's me, Private Shoemaker."

"Josh, what are you doing here?" Natalia blurted out before thinking, then she saw under the covers of his hospital bed he only had one leg and her statement sickened her.

"Well, got kind of banged up on Mars," he stated, the smile leaving his face. "Was supposed to be a bit of recovery after Reach, but…," his voice trailed off. "Guess I was lucky enough to get evac'ed. A lot of others didn't make it out."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Natalia replied genuinely as her mind went back to Reach and when they'd served together. She remembered when her custom-made power-assisted Mjolnir armor, check that her RED Mjolnir armor which screamed privilege, broke down at a critical stage and she was threatened with being taken out of her protective shell or being left behind with Mike. She was immobile and helpless then this soldier, this man, who along with his partner had been compelled to take her to find Mike, had fixed it and got her back moving. She remembered the feeling of elation but also the overwhelming gratitude for the farm-born and raised trooper who'd helped her when he really didn't have to.

"Is there anything I can do for you," Natalia whispered, remembering the pledge she'd made to him on the plains of Eposz.

"Ma'am?"

"Is there anything I can do for you?" the woman said this time with more conviction and determination.

The humble soldier shrugged his shoulders lying in bed and she wanted to cry or to hug him, but mostly she wanted to do something.

"I don't know," he finally replied quizzically, looking at the powerful woman and wondering what her angle was. "Honestly haven't given it a lot of though. I've mainly been focused on getting better. I guess I'll see what the Army has for me and I'll take it from there."

"I can help you," Natalia replied with conviction. "I have a lot of connections, as you can imagine."

"That's kind of you, ma'am," the wounded soldier responded genuinely. "I'll keep that in mind."

Natalia was about to reply when her device went off. She wanted to ignore it but the tone was one she hadn't seen for a while and when she looked at it she could see it was from CINCONI's office. It continued to go off as her heart began to freeze. She wanted to ignore it but knew she couldn't.

"Lieutenant Commander Misriah," she answered.

"Ma'am, this is Ensign Barbour from Admiral Parangosky's office. You're ordered to report to CINCONI immediately. I'm sending you your Joining Orders and Route Letter now." She saw the items pop up as her heart sank. "Transport is standing by at the New York Military Docking Port for you. The admiral expects you to report to her at 0900 tomorrow. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Then enjoy your flight. That is all." The ensign had passed on the message and hung up without waiting for a reply.

"Ma'am, you okay?" the concerned soldier asked, seeing the change in her.

"No, not really," Natalia whispered as her mind began to race.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, you helped me enough on Reach. I'm just having to report back to headquarters," she answered but then her resolve returned. Handing the soldier her card she said, "When you're released from here, if you need anything, please let me know."

"Will do, and thank you."

"No, thank you again. I have to go but it was good to see you again Josh."

The two shook hands and Natalia left, her mind reeling from the change in plans. But there was one thing she was absolutely resolved about. She was going to talk to her father about Private Shoemaker and if there was anything he could do to help the young trooper she'd ensure it happened.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**November 19, 2552, 1500hrs, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, Planet Earth**

"We got the green light from command to move on this information, though God knows how we're going to pull it off," Sergeant Twyker confessed.

"I've been thinking about this," Ruwan countered.

"Okay, I'm listening," the NCO responded after looking at Sergeant Wesley, his Intel coordinator for his team in the large sewer pipe who shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."

"Inject me with a tracker," Ruwan stated without fanfare, "then release me back into the city so I can be captured."

"No!" Myras exclaimed passionately, grabbing his hand. "Ruwan, are you crazy?"

"Maybe," the young man confessed, happy for the sensation her hand on his brought and the concern she was showing, but he also knew he'd wanted to do something to help the war effort after leaving New Mombasa. He'd followed his own course why his brother James had picked a career in the Army as his way of fighting back. But Ruwan had chosen to ignore it as something more abstract and far away. Then the war had come to Earth and he could no longer ignore it or leave it to people like his brother. No, he had to do his part. "They capture me and I tell them I know about the Key. They take me to their command ship and you use the tracker to get a fix on its location and destroy it."

"Okay, I get that," Twyker mulled over the proposal, "but why would they take you to their command ship when they can just go and get it? I don't think it's going to work."

"It will because I'll tell them I'M the key."

"What?" Myras interjected. "Ruwan, no. Don't do this. It's suicide. Get someone else to do it."

"It has to be me," Ruwan declared to the attractive woman whose eyes were beginning to tear up. "This was the game me and my brother played. If they're looking for the Key of Osanalan that means he's been captured and is likely dead. I owe it to him and everyone else to do this. I'm the only one who really knows about it and besides, when they find out I'm his brother they'll take the bait."

"Hmm, that's bold as brass, son," Twyker admitted, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really sure you want to do this?"

"One hundred percent. It's the only way," the determined young man declared.

"All right, let me take this back to command and see if it's even doable," the senior NCO responded, looking at the civilian with a new respect.

The Marine sergeant walked away to make the call leaving the pair alone.

"You can't, Ruwan, this is a suicide mission," Myras pleaded anew, grabbing his forearm passionately.

"Probably," Ruwan shrugged, "but I've been ducking my responsibility to this war for years now. It's time I contributed something."

"There has to be another way," the woman pleaded.

"I can't think of one," Ruwan replied with a shrug of resignation. "Besides, when the Covenant find no key here what are they going to do? Leave? No, they're going to glass it and move on."

"No…"

"And there are not enough UNSC resources here to really take this place back," Ruwan cut her off. "Don't you see, this is the only way."

Myras couldn't argue with the logic and could see she wasn't going to dissuade the determined man who'd saved her life. Her eyes filled with tears at the prospect.

Emboldened by his plan Ruwan put his hand tenderly on the woman's cheek brushing aside a tear. She looked up at him and he lowered down and kissed her tenderly which she responded to.

The pair embraced for several minutes until an embarrassed Sergeant Twyker interrupted them. "Sorry, but command wants to talk to you."

Ruwan walked away with the Marine but not before he took Myras' hand and gave it a squeeze.

Convincing the Area Commander of the sincerity of his plan Ruwan was given approval to carry it out. A tracker was injected into him that would allow the UNSC to plot his whereabouts. When he was taken to the Covenant's command ship it would then be hit by one of Earth's Orbital Defense Platforms. There were a lot of 'ifs' involved with the plan but all agreed there seemed to be no better way to try to break the attack on Cleveland and score a major blow against the invaders.

So, only minutes later, Ruwan Ackerson was injected with a tracker by Sergeant Wesley and was led by a squad of Marines to an exit from the sewers and back into the core of the city.

"Okay son, the rest is up to you," Twyker told him after ensuring the way was clear. "This is a hellova thing you're doing."

"It's got to be done," Ruwan returned, a bit embarrassed.

"Maybe, but it's still brave as hell, thank you," Twyker said, shaking his hand and throwing up a salute.

"All right, time to get at it," Ruwan acknowledged a bit fatalistically but then turned to Myras.

"You saved my life, thank you," Myras declared, starting to tear up again. "I wish we had met under different circumstances."

"If we had you never would have looked at me twice," Ruwan countered playfully. "At least this way I got to do this." He reached down and kissed her passionately, which she eagerly returned. Then pulling away he walked into the late afternoon sunshine of the city.

"I'll never forget you!" Myras called out.

"Then write a song about me," Ruwan shot back cheekily. Though he had a confident grin on his face the young man's eyes displayed the fear that rested within.

"I will," the singer whispered to herself, the lyrics and melody already beginning to form in her mind.

**November 19, 2552**, **1510hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"Daddy!"

The sense of urgency in the voice of his daughter caused Spanner Misriah to stop in midsentence the brief he'd been writing. Ever since his speech at the tribunal and his exoneration something had begun to form in his mind about Mike and the Spartans. But that would have to wait as he saw the anguished look on his daughter's face.

"What is it sweetheart?" He rose from his desk to meet partway.

"I've been recalled back to the Hive to report for duty," Natalia answered, eyes beginning to tear up.

"Well, I guess that's to be expected," her father answered, trying to calm her down. "What have they given you as a report date?"

"0900 hours tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Spanner was taken aback by the declaration and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Tomorrow." Natalia confirmed, sadness starting to morph into anger.

"That means you'll have to leave…"

"In the next two hours," Natalia finished the sentence for him. "Transport is already standing by to take me to Sydney right away."

"But with that short of notice," Spanner was still trying to process the news, "it just doesn't make sense. Why?"

"Admiral Parangosky."

Spanner Misriah buried his face in his hands and rubbed his temples. He knew the truth of the matter and what had likely prompted this abrupt recall. The powerful billionaire also knew he was helpless against the ruthless head of ONI. He began to feel his heart beat increase at the thought of what lay ahead for his beloved daughter.

"That makes sense," Spanner admitted slowly.

"I don't want to go!" Natalia blurted out. "I want to quit…resign," she began to lose control of her emotions.

"I know, this is an unexpected shock for sure," her father took his daughter in his arms to comfort her.

"I wanted to see Mike when he got back from Cleveland, "she confessed, head on his chest. "Things were kind of rocky between us. I can't go now."

"You don't have any choice, you have your orders. Mike will understand," Spanner tried to smooth things over.

"Of course he will, that's the point!" Natalia shot back, pulling away from her father going from sadness to anger. "That's always the way it is with us. I do something stupid and he has to 'understand'. And all the time he gets used by the UNSC with no regard for his needs and feelings."

"He's a soldier, dear," Spanner tried to sooth her.

"He's more than that! He's a Spartan and they're used differently. They're pushed harder than anyone else; they're treated as if they're expendable, as if they don't matter. As if no one cares!"

Natalia was right.

Spanner Misriah suddenly went through a moment of epiphany. Perhaps it was his speech at the tribunal or seeing things from his daughter's perspective, but something changed in the mindset of the powerful businessman.

"You know what Tali? You're absolutely right," Spanner Misriah confessed. "I've never thought about it that way, but no, you're right."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Natalia pressed her father.

"For now you're going to go to Sydney and do you job," Spanner held up his hand to stop the protest his daughter was about to mount. "There's more going on here than just a 'return to duty' order. This is about Parangosky and her hatred of us. So you need to go, do your duty, keep your head down and do nothing more to provoke that woman."

"And what are you going to do?" Natalia continued to press.

"I'm not sure yet but I have a couple of ideas."

"I don't want to go," the woman feebly protested anew, "I want to stay here with you and wait for Mike to come back."

"I know," Spanner said soothingly, taking his daughter in his arms, "It sucks but it has to be done."

"There's one more thing," Natalia said, restoring her resolve and pulling back from the embrace.

"What's that?"

"I was at the base hospital to visit one of Mike's team members and I ran in Josh Shoemaker while I was there," Natalia said.

"Okay, who's he?" Spanner asked, curious about the renewed sense of determination his daughter was showing.

"He's the soldier that helped me on Reach when my armor broke down," Natalia explained. "He repaired it and got me going again when everyone else wanted to leave me behind."

"Is he going to be okay?" Spanner Misriah had never heard this story and it chilled his blood. He felt a new sense of guilt for the mission he'd sent her on and for the custom armor he'd provided for her. Yet it was this terrible situation that had ultimately led to their reunion. Things often seemed to work together in strange ways.

"He's lost a leg and isn't sure what's going to happen," Natalia explained, oblivious to her father's chain of thoughts.

"Oh, that's terrible," Spanner replied genuinely, shaking his head in regret.

"We need to do something for him."

"Anything. If he needs a prosthetic or if he needs a job, we'll absolutely help him out," Spanner pledged. "Just like I'm going to do everything I can to help Mike and the Spartans receive the help and recognition they deserve."

"Oh daddy, you're the best," Natalia hugged him.

"I've been such a fool…wasted so many years…," the powerful head of the largest arms manufacturer in humanity declared, once again realizing where his true wealth lay all these years.

"But that's changed, right?" Natalia asked, looking at him carefully.

"Yes, I'll never go back to that," Spanner confirmed. "And I'll try to get things sorted out here and come to see you in Sydney in a few days.

"I love you," Natalia said, giving her father a beloved hug.

"I love you too sweetheart," Spanner responded, savoring the hug and the new sensation of feeling something other than ambition.

In another part of New Your City Dr. Ruth Charet, the white-haired secretary-general of the United Nations entered the elevator of the organization's headquarters and pushed the button to her floor, deep in thought. Just as the door closed two men in tailored suits entered ignoring the woman. Her role was once one of the most prominent in the world and now she was just another bureaucrat which the former surgeon was happy for. She had no interest in empire building but rather the furthering of mankind. Despite the desperate battle for survival going on with the Covenant she was an optimist and believed deep in her heart they would not only survive but grow through the experience.

Despite the reflective woman's best efforts she was unable to block out the conversation that began between the two businessmen.

"What you looking at?" the thin, blond haired man in tailored suit asked his colleague, bumping into Dr. Charet to get a better look at his datapad.

"Spanner Misriah's news conference," the other, a stocky dark-featured executive answered. "I just can't get over it."

"Why?" the first man asked his friend, curiosity piqued since the other typically was uninterested in such things.

"The guys never cared about anything but profit. I always admired his single-minded focus. This just doesn't seem like him."

"You didn't hear?" the first one asked.

"Hear what?" his colleague asked back.

"His daughter apparently fell in love with a Spartan," the executive shot back with a big grin on his face.

"Natalia Misriah and a Spartan?" his friend exclaimed. "Sounds like the punch line of a bad joke."

"No dude, it's true."

"What the hell?" the one with the datapad was incredulous at the idea, shaking his head. "I thought they bred instincts like that out of those guys when they turned them into supersoldiers."

The elevator door opened and the two chatty executives got out and Dr. Charet was left alone with a new thought.

_Thought they'd bred that out of them? _The secretary-general played the thought to herself again. _Is this what people think about the Spartans? They're not robots, they're human beings. Something needs to change in our attitudes I think_. Dr. Charet then determined to place a call to Spanner Misriah when she had the opportunity to talk about his change of heart

**November 19, 2552, 1540 Hours, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

The Wolf Pack was on another break which irritated Mike. Covenant resistance continued to stiffen so progress had been slow coming. It seemed as if the two sides were starting to fall into a bit of a stalemate. While the aggressive Spartan might be irritated by this the planners running the campaign were hesitant to inflict indiscriminant damage to the city especially not knowing how many civilians were still around while the Covenant continued to search for the Key. Each side initiated battle more cautiously irritating their warriors on the ground. So movement now was in meters and not kilometers. A stalemate was starting to develop which would necessitate a change in tactics; unofficial lines were beginning to form.

This was of course lost on Mike Nantz. The Spartan saw the danger of getting bogged down against an advancing enemy so irritation began to rise. He wanted to push not just for the sake of battle but for the distraction from the little voice in his head whispering to him about his relationship with Natalia. No, he needed action, not impasse.

"We stopping again?" Mel came and stood beside the brooding Spartan. Taking her helmet off the afternoon sun reflected off her diamond nose stud.

"Nothing for it," Mike shot back in irritation, taking off his own helmet. "Command's called for the halt to consolidate."

"We've lost the initiative and the element of surprise," the recon Spartan said, then with a shrug added. "Not much we can do about it, it is what it is."

"Yea, you're right," Mike answered, appreciating that she shared his frustration. There was no profit in irritation so he let it begin to bleed off in the company of his sympathetic friend. "Hey, you've been a great 2ic, Mel. Thanks for all you've done so far."

"It's been nice to be able to share this with you, Michael," Mel answered genuinely. Then putting her gloved hand on his armored forearm added, "I've enjoyed working with you like this. We've both been conditioned to thrive in this kind of environment and there's no one I'd rather do it with than you."

"We really are unique," Mike mused about the statement.

"And we're damn good together," the woman added, hand still on his forearm.

"I guess we are," the Lone Wolf pondered, being drawn into the captivating smile on Mel's face as the tactical woman knew she'd made her point.

Alissa got Maia's attention as the sniper observed the teen intently staring at their commander and 2ic. Maia tilted her head to show she wanted to know what the sniper was thinking who signaled them to go to a private channel as Matt and Terrell relaxed oblivious to what was going on around them.

"What do you think?" Alissa asked.

"About what?" Maia tried to avoid the conversation she knew was coming.

"About the CO and Mel," the sniper guffawed.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean look at them. They're all doe-eyed for each other," Alissa replied.

"They're friends," Maia shrugged, trying not to validate her teammate's observation that was much in line with her own.

"Looks like more than friends to me."

"Mike loves Natalia," Maia shot back. "Sure, the two of them are close, they have history. But that's all it is. Mel respects that."

"Doesn't look like that to me," Alissa countered. "It looks like the Whisper has the Lone Wolf in her sights. And you know what? I say good on her."

"What do you mean by that?" Maia shot back testily.

"Listen, Natalia seems nice enough for a rich girl but she's not one of us," the sniper explained. "If they want a 'happy ending' it should be with one of us, a Spartan."

"Do you really think that's possible?" Maia asked, trying to control the rising emotion and keep her voice even as she looked at Matt out of her peripheral vision. "Do you really think we could have a 'happy ending'?"

"If anyone deserves it, it's a Spartan," Alissa shot back, lost in her own thoughts.

The conversation of the pair was interrupted by the arrival of another company of Army troopers and support vehicles. It seemed like the UNSC's consolidation was becoming a reality which meant more time for musing which was likely in no one's interest.

Closer to the downtown of the city it only took about thirty minutes for Ruwan to run into the first Covenant patrol. It was a risky venture for he could have been shot outright before he had a chance to carry out his ruse. The tactically-thinking man knew he couldn't look too eager or else that might compromise his plan to save the city but still needed to get his point across. Fortunately for him a Brute Captain Ultra in dark cyan power armor rescued him from a pair of Kig-Yar Skirmishers who seemed to have less than honorable intentions with him.

Once his capture was secure Ruwan was roughly moved along while the Brutes around him spoke in their guttural tongue.

"You're looking for the Key of Osanalan, aren't you?" Ruwan declared confidently.

The Brute officer, who wore a translation disk around his thick neck, looked at his second-in-command with obvious surprise showing he'd understood what the human captive had said.

"Why tell us about this, human?" the captain asked through the disk, becoming suspicious

"Yes, why?" another of the same pack pressed in, hot breath causing Ruwan to crinkle his face in disgust.

"Because this is my home. You're winning and I don't want you to glass the place," Ruwan declared.

"And what's to keep us from doing that, worm?"

"I'll make a deal with your leaders," Ruwan explained patiently, not wanting to tip his hand. "I know there's something valuable you've been looking for here, that's why you haven't destroyed this place."

"What deal would that be?" the captain ultra now pressed in close, standing nearly a meter taller.

"I give you the Key and you leave Cleveland alone," Ruwan answered, refusing to be intimidated by the Jiralhanae despite the terror he felt as the Brute glowered at him.

"Cleve-land?" the Brute asked.

"This city. It's the human name," Ruwan explained, trying to maintain an even pace to the conversation. "So, what do you think?"

"Hmmm," the Brute captain thought. "You," he pointed to a dark brown furred member of his pack, "watch this human." He batted one of the skirmishers aside who'd pressed in. The Kig-Yar squawked in protest but took the hint and scurried away.

Moving out of ear shot the thick muscled Jiralhanae thought of the offer.

"What do you think?" the leader's companion asked, then declared, "This is a waste of our time."

"I don't think so," the group leader responded, stroking the furry beard on his massive chin.

"Why don't we just kill him and move on. We're already behind in our objective," the other pressed.

"No," the other more tactically thinking Brute rumbled. "If this is true there will be great reward for us as the ones who bring in information on this prize. Plus then we'll finally be able to kill the vermin and not be so hesitant."

"But what about the deal?"

"Do you think Lepidus is going to honor something like that?" the Brute smiled a wicked toothy grin.

The captain's companion let out a loud barking laugh that caused the other in the company to look. Well then, by all means let us contact Mygaeum and let him know of the great find we've made."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**November 19, 2552, 1825hrs, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"What do you have to say, worm?" Mygaeum demanded through his translation disc, coming so close hot breath ruffled Ruwan's hair.

Trying hard to remain calm but also to present an honest picture the young man replied, "I told your officer here, I have information on the Key of Osanalan."

"And you're just going to give it up that easily?" the Brute senior officer asked suspiciously though the fact he knew the name of the artefact they sought said something.

Ruwan had been brought by the Jiralhanae patrol to Mygaeum, Lepidus' second-in-command, at his headquarters in downtown Cleveland. Though terrified he was also determined to do something to avenge his brother and try to make a difference to humanity. He lamented he'd never see the attractive singer Myras Tyra again but then if they hadn't met in such circumstances he knew she'd never have looked twice at him. No, the time they'd had together had been a delicious treat and now it was time to make a difference.

"What do you mean easy?" Ruwan countered. "I was trying to escape when your patrol caught me," which caused a nod of acknowledgement from the Brute's who'd done it. "I want to make a bargain with you for my life."

"And what's to keep me from ripping your head off, human," Mygaeum growled.

"Then you'll never get the Key since I'm the only one who knows about it."

"And how do you know about it?" the Brute officer queried.

"Because my brother is Colonel James Ackerson," Ruwan shot back.

The declaration of the name of their prisoner caught the Jiralhanae off guard. He smelled a ruse or trick but this was too much. His better instincts said kill the human and move on but too many had heard and knew what he said. If Lepidus found out, well, that was something the Brute who had history with the volatile chieftain would not want to find out. He'd need to take him to their commander.

"Very well," Mygaeum said with a sigh of resignation. "We'll take you to our shipmaster and he'll decide your fate."

Kilometers away a very different scenario was unfolding. A time honored tradition for soldiers that had played out for centuries was going on. They were sitting down for chow. A food prep vehicle had rolled in giving everyone a hot meal which beat MRE's.

While Mike and the rest of the Wolf Pack enjoyed some fresh food the commander of the Spartan team had a growing concern at the inertia creeping in to the campaign to retake Cleveland. Twice already in the past 24 hours he'd spoken to Colonel Holland about getting unstuck. While the Special Ops commander was sympathetic there was little more he could do than push it up the chain of command. The last time Mike had asked to be uncoupled from the UNSC Army echelon they'd been moving with especially after hearing through the rumor mill that there were ODST teams working within the city. He wanted his team to be more active and useful but the growing fame of the Wolf Pack meant that every battalion and brigade commander was requesting them as an attachment. It seemed that fame came with a pair of handcuffs.

So Mike sat with a plate of hot roast beef and mashed potatoes that he allowed to grow cold, watching his team. Matt and Maia were engrossed in a conversation while Alissa and Terrell seemed to be trying to outdo each other in how much they could eat. Only Mel was out on the periphery scouting and probing the enemy's lines. The Lone Wolf envied her freedom while also growing concerned that his team was losing its edge in the slow pace of combat of late. He wasn't sure what to do about it nor did he think he should considering his own relationship with Natalia that seemed to be on his mind though right now he'd put it aside.

"Hey Mike…Mike Nantz!"

A familiar voice broke him out of his thoughts and he turned to see Mandy Campbell, the combat medic come bouncing over with a plate of food and sit beside him.

"What? Beef and mashed potatoes not mix with your delicate constitution?" she teased.

"Pardon?" Mike answered back in confusion.

"Your food, silly," she responded with a cheeky grin. "You haven't touched it."

"Not hungry, I guess," Mike answered, then realizing her head was uncovered added, "And you should have your helmet on."

"Okay, dad," she teased. "You sound just like Sergeant Buckah."

"He's a wise man and a good NCO," Mike countered. "You'd do well to listen to him."

"Yea, yea, you're right, of course, as is he," Mandy pouted then her face lit up anew. It's too nice a day to be all cooped up," the vivacious woman responded, giving her long, chestnut brown hair a playful toss causing her ponytail to rotate.

Mike couldn't help but chuckle. "You really are something, you know that?" he declared.

"Is that a good something or a bad something?" she flirted back, her pretty face lighting up.

"It's a good something," he responded, an easy smile filling his face and the pressure of the day bleeding off.

"You're something too, you know, Mike," Mandy countered earnestly, then with a dramatic pause added, "something special."

While the pairs conversation was going on Melanie returned to the bivouac site looking for Mike to report what she'd found but in reality she'd wanted to talk to him. The slow pace the past day had given her time to think and she was even more convinced that somehow she wanted to be with him. She knew that he loved Natalia and part of her felt a bit of guilt for her growing feelings but the pragmatist in her pushed that aside. No, Mike Nantz was a big boy and could choose for himself, especially when he found out he had other options.

Then she saw him talking to that chit of a nurse, Mandy, and that was an option she thought he definitely shouldn't consider.

The Whisper's blood began to boil and the bio meter in her HUD registered a spike in heart rate. _It's bad enough I have to contend with that rich Misriah chick now every time I turn around that Army bitch seems to be flirting with him_ she thought darkly to herself.

"Hey!" Melanie called out a lot louder than she'd wanted to, causing not only Mike and Mandy to stop their conversation to stare at her but also a dozen other soldiers around them.

In that moment of distraction Mike heard too late the familiar _bark_ of a needle rifle firing.

"No!" Mike screamed as he watched helplessly the 126mm crystalline shard bury into Mandy's forehead and explode out the back of her skull.

"Sniper!" an Army trooper on overwatch called and almost immediately a Warthog's LAAG opened fire in the general direction of where a Jackal sharpshooter had fired. In response a dozen hidden Covenant soldiers opened up. Plates of food went flying as the UNSC troops scrambled for cover and to return fire.

Melanie stood transfixed, not flinching as several rounds hit her. She watched as Mandy's lifeless body slumped in slow motion to the ground as Mike desperately tried to grab her. A sickness the Spartan had never felt before welled up and she was frozen by indecision. Unmoving she did see Mike look towards her with a rage in his eyes she'd never seen before jamming his Mark VB helmet on his head.

"Wolf Pack! We're going after them," Mike called over the team channel. "Alissa, high ground, provide overwatch. Matt, point, Maia, you're with me. Let's move."

"What about me?" Melanie called out, still finding it hard to move.

"You stay here, organize the remnant of Army into a defensive position," Mike ordered in a tone that said he'd brook no opposition. She'd been left out.

By the time the Spartans moved out though things had returned to their previous quiet with no more shots fired. Melanie and the Army troopers braced for a renewed attack but it didn't come. After fifteen minutes the group relaxed though maintained heightened awareness. The rest could get back to their meals though none had an appetite anymore. A warrant officer got a tarp and covered Mandy's body while the rest stood around quietly. Twenty minutes later Mike and the Wolf Pack returned without firing a shot. The Covenant had laid the ambush and then had withdrawn right away. Two other troopers were injured but the death of the popular medic hit the unit she was with hard.

Mike moved over to where the woman's body lay and knelt down on the ground taking his helmet off. The smell of roast beef and mashed potatoes spilled on the ground was fast being overwhelmed by the smell of blood and brains. He pulled the tarp back to look at the face of the woman who he never could figure out how he felt about and now knew a new feeling of futility.

The Lone Wolf let out a primal yell that was almost like an anguished howl as he pounded his fist into the ground in frustration.

Mike, I…I…," Melanie stammered coming over the stand beside him. "I'm so sorry. If I hadn't…."

"No." Mike cut her off definitively. "This is on me. I let me guard down and got caught in the moment." He took his hand and placed it over his face in exhaustion. "My fault."

"This is not on you," Melanie tried to counter as the rest of the Wolf Pack looked on in frustrated silence but the sound of a Warthog roaring into the bivouac site caused her to pause.

Colonel Ed Toliver, the commander of the 8th Armored Brigade, jumped nimbly out and trotted over to where the body lay. "What happened?"

"Sniper, sir," Melanie answered.

"My fault," Mike added, barely above a whisper.

"Say again?" the senior officer asked.

"This is my fault. I heard the shot too late and couldn't save her," Mike said quietly still staring at the covered body and seeing the face that less than forty-five minutes ago had been so full of life and joy.

Colonel Toliver looked at the Spartan kneeling beside the body and could see the look of anguish on his face. "No son, this is not on you. No one could see this coming though the Covvies have been targeting our medical staff of late." He put his hand on Mike's shoulder who continued to be in misery. Then turning to the group of soldiers gathered around he barked. "All right, everyone saddle up. We're moving to another RV site. Look sharp." Then to a group of soldiers said more quietly, "Get her body out of here. No one needs to see it."

Mike watched her be moved and felt frozen in place. _This is just like Kat on Reach _he thought to himself playing back in his mind how his friend and fellow company member from Onyx had been killed the same way, when he'd been enjoying a moment, feeling almost human._ I let my guard down then too and it happened. I've let myself get soft. Some hero you are_ a small voice berated him.

The rest of the Wolf Pack stood around their commander looking away sheepishly, none knew what to do. Melanie was still in gridlock feeling that she was to blame for distracting the man in her fit of jealousy. Still, someone needed to get them moving. "Come on everyone, let's move. Matt you have point. Terrell, cover the rear."

"What about the CO?" Maia asked, emotion in her voice.

"I'll stay with him and we'll meet you at the RV point," Melanie answered setting a way point for the team.

The rest moved out, heavy burdened, as did the rest of the soldiers who only a while earlier had been enjoying a moment of peace, daring to hope that this might be a trend. And in a moment the reality of the war with the Covenant had come crashing back in.

**November 20, 2552**, **0805hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

Ruth Charet, secretary general of the United Nations, arrived at her office earlier than usual and began to prepare herself for her first appointment of the morning. She'd received a call from Spanner Misriah, THE Spanner Misriah, chairman and principal owner of Misriah Armory, one of the most powerful men alive, requesting a meeting with her. She'd never met or talked with the man, she'd never even been in his presence. Though she had a title and perceived power he had real power and he had personally called her and asked to meet. Of course she took the appointment, knowing she couldn't say no to the influential man but also intrigued by what he wanted to meet about. After the conversation she'd overhead in the elevator the deep-thinking woman had watched a repeat of his appearance before the industrial tribunal then read a hard copy of the transcript. It was an unusual move from the seemingly self-serving businessman so a meeting so soon after was one she looked forward to.

Spanner Misriah was ushered into the secretary-general's modestly appointed office and took the offered seat. He was dressed in a dark, hand-made suit and looked every inch the billionaire he was. Charet tried not to be intimidated by the man who sat quietly before her with a look he obviously had something to share. Curiosity piqued, the woman took a shallow breath.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Misriah?" the head of the United Nations asked the powerful businessman.

"I'd like to talk to you about the Spartans, ma'am," Spanner stated respectfully.

"Yes, I saw a holo replay of your statement at the tribunal yesterday." The sharp-thinking woman adjusted her rectangular wire glasses. "That was an impressive speech, very moving. But what does this have to do with me?"

"I'm glad you saw it."

"It's hard not to. It's playing everywhere," Charet countered. "You seemed to have caused quite a stir."

"That wasn't my intention though I'm not sorry for it." Spanner allowed the provocative statement to sink in before continuing. "I wanted to talk to you about what can be done for the conditions of the Spartans."

"Again, I ask, what does this have to do with me? Spartans are UNSC jurisdiction." Though Charet's statement seemed definitive inside there was a curiosity to see where this man who had a reputation for selfishness was going.

"It is true, they are under that purview but I'm talking about their human rights, which is something the United Nations and therefore, you," Spanner emphasized, "are concerned with."

"Human rights? What do you mean?" Ruth Charet was now very interested in what the powerful man had to say.

"I mean the kidnapping and indoctrination of children, physical alterations, mind and emotional manipulation, use in suicide missions. Do I need to go on?" Spanner rattled off, deadly serious.

"And you know this how?" Charet asked. She was aware of the rumors but had never concerned herself with military matters.

"Madam Secretary, you know who I am and the things I have access to," the industrialist answered simply but pointedly.

Ruth Charet paused to think, pulling on her bottom lip. Humanity was at war, Earth was being invaded by the Covenant; they may be wiped out at any moment. So why would something like this matter?

But it did.

"You make a valid point, Mr. Misriah," Dr. Charet granted, "but we're at war, and the Covenant have invaded Earth. The Spartans are some of our most valuable weapons not just in the actual fight but also in the maintenance of morale."

"Granted, but does that mean they forfeit their basic rights as people?" Spanner countered.

"No, that shouldn't be the case," The UN leader conceded. "But honestly, what can be done in a case like this to satisfy the need for Spartans but protect their humanity? It seems impossible."

"Nothing is impossible if you have the will," the successful businessman countered.

"Then what would you propose?" Dr. Charet asked, absorbed by where the man was going.

"I'd propose there be an acknowledgement of the Spartan's importance but also a reminder of their humanity. They're not machines, they're people with rights. Then there's an insurance that those rights are exerted and protected within the context of military operations, of course." Spanner fixed his eyes on the UN secretary-general causing her to feel uneasy.

"But what about the Office of Naval Intelligence?" Dr. Charet countered, uneasy with the proposal but knowing in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

"Do you fear them?"

"Honestly, a little bit." The pragmatic woman who'd spent most of her life in politics confessed though she hated herself for the admission. She'd always prided herself of bold and visionary leadership. That part was screaming to stay away from this, it was political suicide. Yet a stronger part was yelling louder that this was the right thing to do and the very reason she came to serve in the United Nations in the first place. She was there to make the world a better place. No, she had to embrace this no matter the cost since it was the right thing to do.

Spanner Misriah couldn't help but chuckle at the statement from the powerful politician. "Then we share that in common. Listen, ONI loves to live in the shadows. That's how all this stuff has been able to go on. If we bring it into the light and have public opinion on our side they will have no choice but to address it. I'm certain the UNSC High Command like Admiral Hood and others would actually see the benefit of it."

"You make a compelling case, Mr. Misriah," Dr. Charet conceded, "and I'm intrigued. I must confess your little speech yesterday has gotten me thinking. If what you're saying is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, then I would agree with you. Something should be done to help them within the context of our war effort."

"That's all I'd ask," Spanner replied, a smile forming on his face.

"Let me check into this and consider our conversation. Thank you for coming and sharing this with me," Dr. Charet stood to announce their meeting was over.

Spanner stood up, shook her hand and left, satisfied he had the ball rolling.

**November 20, 2552, 0900hrs, HIGHCOMM Bravo-Six, the Hive, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

As ordered, Natalia stood at attention before Admiral Parangosky. She'd kept to herself on the flight to Australia. She'd slept only briefly, again having nightmares which were starting to wear her down. Standing before the frail looking, white-haired senior officer Natalia thought she could be someone's grandmother but there was nothing malevolent about Margaret Parangosky. It was the eyes. They had a predatory look about them, like a hawk about to swoop down on its prey.

"Seems you were busy on Mars," Admiral Parangosky said, not looking up from the datapad she intently looked at.

"Yes ma'am," Natalia answered woodenly, staring straight ahead, not sure where this conversation was going.

"I'm prepared to overlook your disobeying the evacuation order," Parangosky stated, setting the datapad down and fixing the young woman with a steely glare, "but it was a foolish, brazen thing to do and shows a certain disregard for the chain of command."

"Thank you, admiral," Natalia responded without emotion.

"Why did you disregard Commander Sullivan's order to leave Mars when you received it?" Parangosky pressed.

"Well…I, uhm…I," Natalia stammered.

"Interesting," the admiral sharpened her glare and steepled her fingers, "did you not understand it, or perhaps there was some compelling reason, some part of your mission from me, that kept you from leaving?"

"I thought…I mean…I was trying…," Natalia couldn't find the words and would be damned if she told the sneering woman her true reasons for not leaving Mars after the evacuation order.

"At a loss for words, so unlike you Natalia." Then Parangosky changed tactics. "So what did you do after our command structure left the planet?" the admiral asked pointedly.

"I was a combat controller in Colonel Ackerson's command," Natalia answered, proud of the real work she'd done to help the fight on Mars.

The ever-present Captain Serin Osman stood nearby and snorted but said nothing. Natalia wanted to glare at her in defiance but didn't have any fight left in her.

"Really?" the admiral responded in mock surprise.

"Yes, ma'am."

Putting her hands on her desk Parangosky leaned forward, as if measuring the woman before her, and said nothing for an uncomfortable length of time. Then finally she declared, "Well there will be no such antics going on now that you're back here."

"But ma'am, I…," Natalia began to protest but was cut off.

"Silence! You do not speak until I tell you. You're lucky I don't have you arrested for disobeying orders."

_Like you did Mike_, Natalia thought but knew diplomacy was better now.

"You disappoint me Ms. Misriah. I had such high hopes for you but ever since you left for Reach you've been, how shall I say it, less than impressive," Parangosky twisted the knife. "Be that as it may, I'm left with the unenviable task of having to figure out how to make you useful again."

"Ma'am?" Natalia answered in confusion.

"You will return to the vital work you did before you went to Mars until I figure out how you may be of more use to the Office of Naval Intelligence. And there will be no more grandstanding like in the past, do you understand?"

Natalia could see the smirk on the elderly woman's face as she made the declaration not even trying to hide the lie she was telling. "I understand, admiral."

"Good," Parangosky sat back in her high back leather chair, "And do say hello to your father the next time you're speaking with him."

Natalia turned to leave, cowed anew by the powerful woman yet a spark inside burned and in a moment that came like a flash of lightning lit. "Admiral," Natalia said, turning back and signaling she had something to say.

"What?" Parangosky asked, obviously caught off guard by the unexpected action.

"What's being done to look after the Spartans?" Natalia asked boldly.

"And this is pertinent to you how?" the admiral asked in return, seeking to re-establish control.

"On Reach and again on Mars I had the chance to work up close with Spartans and I saw how they were used and often disregarded," Natalia explained.

"They are highly valued and valuable assets of the UNSC lieutenant commander," Parangosky proclaimed imperiously.

"True," Natalia granted but didn't back down. "But they're disregarded as human beings with hopes and dreams." Natalia noticed Captain Osman stiffen at the statement and her face begin to twitch.

"We're at war, young lady," the admiral shot back, allowing her anger to seep through her veneer. "You don't have the time, or the authorization, to concern yourself with such things."

"I know, but I wonder if there was some way we could acknowledge, or at least remember, their humanity. They're people, not machines."

Parangosky caught out of her peripheral vision that Captain Osman's eyes were getting glassy. "Yes, yes, of course they are. We all know that and things like that are taken into account in operational decisions. Now is there a point to this?"

_As if…_ Natalia thought but also knew she was starting to tread on thin ice. So remembering her father's warning replied "No, ma'am, that's all. I just wanted to share an observation from the field, that's it."

"Well then carry on. Good day Ms. Misriah." Parangosky dismissed her with a look that declared there'd be no more discussion.

After Natalia left the room the admiral turned to her executive assistant and protégé. "What is it Serin?"

"Nothing, ma'am," the former Spartan II who'd washed out when her augmentation failed, leaving her permanently disabled replied, her face a mask of granite.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**November 20, 0830hrs, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

Mike went out on his own the previous night after everyone had settled in. He told no one and didn't care. The Lone Wolf needed to hunt so everything he did was with Emile's kukri. Another friend lost in the futility of war. The kukri reminded him of their last mission together on Reach which was delivering the Smart AI Cortana to the _Pillar of Autumn_ and protecting its departure. The volatile Spartan assaulter had gone down fighting. Mike had initially thought the mission a waste when the _Autumn_ was reported missing. Then, it turned out Cortana had ended up with the legendary Master Chief who'd delivered her back to Earth safe and sound. Rumors continued to circulate that the information she carried could tip the course of the war into the favor of humanity. He thought back to their brief time together when the enigmatic Smart AI had told him there was more to him than met the eye.

The current state of macro politics though was lost in the moment to Mike Nantz.

After Mandy's death he went out, without orders, and killed nearly two dozen Covenant over the course of the night and not one saw it coming. He didn't want to feel anything anymore, he wanted to return to the insulated and isolated killing machine he'd been for years before Noble Team, before Natalia and before the image of Mandy falling away from him dead was seared into his mind.

But he couldn't turn his feelings off.

The Lone Wolf did feel and was a lone wolf no longer; he was a team player with responsibility and people he cared about. So before he returned to the UNSC lines he sat down in a back alley in the dark and cried…and cried, like he never had before. The misery was real, the feelings were real but he knew he could no longer turn them off. This was a wave he had to ride, a cup he had to drink from. Instinctively he knew the pain would pass but in the moment he didn't want to, he wanted to feel the burden of responsibility.

The new day started off slate grey and overcast, threatening rain which reflected the mood of the elements of the 8th Armored Brigade and the Wolf Pack in their new bivouac site. Most picked away at breakfast and there was little conversation. Sergeant Lawrence Buckah surveyed the scene before him with concern. He'd come in with his company during the night and had heard of the death of the popular medic. He looked over to the area that the Wolf Pack occupied and saw Mike away from the group and the others looking uncertain and tentative, a dangerous thing for the Spartan operators. He thought to go to Melanie first but something in her disposition made him instead go to Maia.

"How's Mike?" Buckah asked the dark-haired girl.

"Not good," Maia replied. "He's taking this pretty hard."

"How are the rest of you doing?" the Army NCO asked.

Maia shrugged her shoulders and didn't answer.

The wise man knew what that meant and what was needed. He patted her comfortingly on the shoulder and walked over to the brooding Lone Wolf.

Helmet off, Mike deliberately rubbed his hand along the scar on his neck he received the first time he'd met Mandy back in August in Eposz on Reach. It seemed like a lifetime ago. A group of Spec Op Elites had used active camouflage to penetrate into the firebase they were in. Mike had saved Mandy's life but in the process he'd gotten head butted in the face getting his nose broken then received a nasty cut to the neck by an energy sword. The young medic's field skills had kept him from bleeding out. It was another scar added to the collection but this one now had special meaning. He thought of her playful nature and vivacious smile. She'd lost her parents to the Covenant War so had dropped out of med school to join the Army as had happened to him and his becoming a Spartan. They'd shared this bond and now like Kat and Emile, Carter and Jorge, Jorge the one who sacrificed his life by throwing him off the Covenant ship instead of saving himself, she was gone. Another he couldn't save; another casualty of a war that seemed to go on and on.

"How we doing, son?" Sergeant Buckah asked, standing beside the brooding Spartan.

Mike came out of his miserable reflection to look at the unassuming man who was standing over him with a fatherly look on his face. "Fine," he said without any conviction.

"This is not on you, Mike," Buckah said grimly. "This is not a load for you to bear."

"Why not?"

"Because its war, because it's 'shit happens', that's why," the veteran NCO responded.

"I should have been able to stop it," Mike countered, emotions rising. "I shouldn't have allowed myself to be distracted. I should have practiced better discipline, and maybe…"

"Maybe," the seasoned veteran said with a shrug. "That's hindsight son. You can't roll back the clock, only learn from what's happened."

"Well, that's easy for you to say," Mike shot back venomously.

"Is it?" Buckah shot back but without anger. "You think you're the first one to lose people? You think you're the only one who's had people they care about die in this crappy war? Or what about the person who has someone die in a traffic accident to a drunk driver? Or the parent who's child dies of cancer? You think they have it easy? And every single one needs to find a way to keep putting one foot in front of the other."

"It's hard," Mike confessed, voice showing emotion.

"That it is."

"How…how do you get past all this?" Mike asked desperately.

Buckah looked at the famed Lone Wolf, the supersoldier killing machine and his heart broke for the man only in his early 20's who'd had his childhood robbed of him. Sitting down beside Mike he answered gently, "You find a reason to keep going. You then find the strength to get up and keep going then you find a way to make your life count every damn day. That's how you do it."

"I'm having trouble with that right now," the grieving Spartan confessed.

"You have responsibility to a group of people," Buckah countered gesturing to the Wolf Pack. "Let that be your motivation because they need you."

"They're Spartans."

"So?" Buckah shot back. "Yea, they're supersoldiers and damn good ones but they're also still a bunch of teenagers."

That struck Mike, hard. Despite his aching heart and feeling of guilt he looked over at his team and began to see what the man who should be retired was saying. "So you're telling me to suck it up?"

"I'm saying it a lot nicer," the man said with an engaging twinkle in his eye.

"I just get so tired sometimes," Mike confessed. Does it get any easier?"

"No, you weep for every single one of them and you should because they deserve it," Buckah answered gently, his own voice betraying the emotion behind the answer, "but then you pick yourself up and keep going."

"But Mandy was different."

"True," Buckah admitted, "it makes it harder but you still have to find a way to move on."

"Why? What difference does any of this make?" Mike asked fatalistically.

"It does for them," Buckah gestured with his head towards the Wolf Pack who were obviously watching their conversation. "Because they're hurting and they need you to make them believe everything's going to be okay."

"Why are they hurting?" Mike asked, struggling with the death. "They barely knew Mandy."

"Because they're hurting for you, Mike," Buckah pointed out. "They see the pain you're in and they can't do anything to help you."

The thought hit Mike like a Warthog running over him. He was hurt, he was grieving, that was true, but he had more to live for and reason to not wallow in self-pity. Less than six months ago he'd been little more than an automaton, killing and moving on but now he was forming relationships, experiencing family and love. It was complicated and part of him wanted to return to the protective bubble of keeping the world at arms-length but he realized there was a life to experience, and people to experience it with, that made even pain like this worth it. He had a reason to live, to carry on, and while he might die even later that day he could choose how he'd face it, he'd face it with joy in his heart.

"Thanks sarge, I needed that," Mike stated genuinely.

"That's what I'm here for son," Buckah responded, giving him an affectionate pat on the back.

"Is Mike going to be okay?" Maia asked quietly, watching their CO talk with the fatherly NCO at a distance.

"Yea, I've never seen him like this before," Matt added, visibly shaken by the picture of the Lone Wolf looking so vulnerable.

"I don't know," Melanie confessed. "He's been through a lot the past couple of years."

"But he's tough, and he'll bounce back," Terrell declared trying to be optimistic.

The only one who didn't speak was Alissa, who quietly took the whole scene in. She'd been shaken by the incident as well, not for the death of the medic who she'd found a bit annoying but for her reaction to it. She'd kept people at arms-length since her father had died and that had worked just fine for her. Now she caught herself starting to grieve involuntarily because of how the others were reacting and she didn't like it. Specifically, she didn't like the vulnerability she felt. Yet another part of her wanted to embrace it knowing in this technology-driven war there was still a human element.

"Family," the sniper whispered to herself.

"What was that?" Maia caught the phrase even as she was still speaking with the others.

"I said 'family', and that's what we are," the sometimes volatile teen replied. "So we stick together, we support each other and we leave the rest in the hands of the divine."

The others agreed so went about the tasks they needed to prepare themselves for the next phase of battle, giving Mike the space he needed.

For Melanie she had mixed feelings. Her heart ached for Mike but she also wasn't sad the flirty medic was dead. The contemplative woman pondered that for a moment. She was familiar with death. She'd dealt it out for years and seen it happen around her so the Spartan took it in stride. Yet the woman also had feelings that were just being kindled and so a new, and unfamiliar, sensation began to well up- guilt. Guilt that if she was honest she was happy Mandy was dead. The Recon Spartan had thrived in the environment of assessing variables and coming up with the correct solution but this was not such a simple equation. She watched Mike talk to the fatherly Army sergeant and then the two shake hands and separate.

It was a moment of truth.

Mike moved towards the team and the rest awkwardly pretended they were busy since none knew what to say. As the Lone Wolf carried his helmet limply in his hand the look of conflict on his face was evident leading to a greater feeling of awkwardness among the Spartans.

Then their eyes met.

Melanie wasn't sure of the look she had on her face. Though she'd always prided herself on being able to hide her emotions but in this moment she wasn't so sure. Mike was looking at her, as if looking for something. She wasn't sure and figured he likely wasn't either, yet he continued to woodenly walk towards her.

"I'm sorry," Melanie said simply as he walked into earshot.

"Yea," was all Mike could get out.

"I'm not going to pretend I know what you're feeling Michael but do know I care about you and I'm here for you," Melanie said genuinely, deflecting her own feelings towards the dead medic.

"Thanks Mel….it's just…," Mike stammered, not able to organize his thoughts.

Melanie didn't try to finish his sentence or put words in his mouth. Instead she sat down silently beside him as the man slumped down onto a bench in the park where they were bivouacking and just waited with him in silence.

"Why is this stuff so hard?" he finally was able to get out.

"I don't know," Melanie began, yet she had an idea. "Maybe it's because our childhood was stolen from us so we never got a chance to work through things like this. Maybe it's because our minds and bodies were changed before we had a chance for any kind of life. Feelings are a dangerous thing when you're not used to them."

Mike turned and stared at his childhood friend and teammate. "You're right, you know that?"

"Aren't I always?" Melanie shot back playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yea, you are," Mike admitted with a wry grin. "You always were."

Melanie smiled broadly at the statement and a single shaft of sunlight broke through the thick clouds and sun glinted off the jewel in her nose stud.

"I'm glad we reconnected Mel and I'm glad you're here," Mike stated, looking reflectively at her.

"I'm glad too, Michael," she replied but didn't say out loud what she was actually thinking since the calculating Spartan was already onto the next step.

**November 20, 2552, ****1005hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

Spanner Misriah's communications device went off and he knew from the ringtone who it was and what it pertained too. "Hello Terrence," the man answered.

"Dammit Spanner, what were you thinking?" Admiral Lord Hood exploded in exasperation without any pleasantries.

"Honestly Terrence, I'm not sure," the billionaire replied genuinely.

"Bull, you never do anything without thinking through the angles," the senior UNSC commander retorted. "Do you know the risks this causes to our operations?"

"Come on," Spanner shot back, not buying it, "you and I both know the Spartans are no secret anymore. Your own Public Affairs department is boosting their accomplishments to help the war effort. Everyone knows about the Master Chief and all he's done."

"I'll grant you this but to try to humanize them in that way?" the admiral shot back belligerently. "It'll compromise their effectiveness."

A chill went down the spine of Spanner Misriah at the comment. "Compromise their effectiveness? How? They're not robots, they're people. And most of them are teenagers."

"You know as well as I do, Spanner, that the II's are never listed as KIA but always as missing and the Spartan III's have never been talked about officially or publically."

"Okay, I'll give you that but it's not like they're not being talked about. Especially after Reach and now Mars. Everyone's heard of Noble Team and now words getting around about the Wolf Pack."

"And you have nothing to do with that?" Hood pressed suspiciously, starting to connect the dots."

"Me? No, I'm not. I just think they should be known but more importantly treated better."

"Your interest in them is based on what?" Hood asked, knowing the answer already. "And this is the second time you've gone to bat for the Spartans. What's up with Mike-B312?"

"This is different, this is personal" Spanner tried to explain but knowing how it looked. "He means something to my daughter and he's a good man."

Terrence Hood shook his head in disbelief. It really did seem genuine. "Listen Spanner, you're on thin ice here."

"What are you going to do? Pull my contracts?" the owner of Misriah Armory shot back testily.

"That would be the least of your problems," the UNSC commander countered. "You could be arrested by ONI."

"Let them try."

Hood knew that further discussion on the topic was of now use. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you. But for what it's worth, I like the changes I see in you Spanner. Good luck with this."

"Thanks Terrence. I appreciate the intention and I will take your counsel under advisement," Spanner Misriah replied genuinely.

The admiral and powerful businessman ended their call and the elder Misriah was left to contemplate his next steps.

**November 21, 1015hrs, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, planet Earth**

"Tell me again, worm, what you told the others," Lepidus demanded of Ruwan Ackerson as Mygaeum and the Brute officer named Kradeus stood by. The young man had been moved throughout the day through the city and outside of it to a suburb called Chagrin Falls to meet with the commander of the Jiralhanae forces.

"You are looking for the Key of Osanalan and as I told your officers, it's not a thing, it's a person," Ruwan declared confidently, "and I'm it."

"Impossible," the Brute shipmaster retorted, "how can you be such a sacred item?" Then turning to one of his lieutenants he ordered, "Take this whelp away and take his head."

The Brutes around their chieftain roared in delight and Ruwan was roughly grabbed. Pushing down the growing panic he yelled, "Do that and you'll never find the portal you seek. Do you wonder why you've not been able to find this key? It's because it's not a thing!"

"Stop!" Lepidus ordered his clansmen who immediately obeyed.

The hulking Jiralhanae walked silently around the human who tried hard not to be intimidated and then went over to his second-in-command.

"Do you think it's true?" Mygaeum asked his commander.

"I don't know," Lepidus admitted. "There are tales of Reclaimers who are able to fire the Sacred Rings."

"But this one?" Mygaeum asked skeptically. "He seems hardly the type."

"Have you ever met a Reclaimer before?" the commander challenged.

"Well, no, I haven't," the shaggy Brute replied honestly.

"Neither have I," Lepidus continued. "Nor have we had any luck finding the Key. Yet this human knows what it is. I think he bears closer examination. Call for my shuttle. We'll take him to our ship."

While the Jiralhanae commander and his confidant were talking a member of Kradeus' pack was sending an encrypted message to the Minister of Inquisition envisioning the riches and power he would receive for tipping the Prophet off to this important development.

**November 21, 2552, 1550hrs, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

For anyone who cared to pay attention the couple would have looked out of place. The impeccably dressed businessman sat sipping coffee with a female UNSC senior naval officer who in turn held a cup of tea. No one paid attention since this was the kind of place where people went who didn't want to be noticed so the pair could have been having a clandestine affair or some other form of liaison.

But they would be wrong.

"So why did you ask to meet me?" Serin Osman asked the handsome and expensively dressed businessman sitting across from her at the non-descript restaurant she'd been called to.

"I think I can be of use to you when it comes to the Misriah's," MacKenzie Wainwright declared.

"And why would that be of interest to us?" Osman asked.

"I was intimately involved with the movement of production before it was discovered," MacKenzie declared.

"A fact that is now common knowledge," the experienced interrogator answered unimpressed.

"That's not my point," the man countered huffily. "That means I have inner knowledge on what's going on at Misriah Armory."

"We were aware of that for some time," Osman declared. "Who do you think tipped off the Industrial Council?"

The look on the cocky businessman's face was priceless to the seasoned operative. "So is there anything else you have that is of interest?"

"I'll find something," MacKenzie shot back, a bit too eagerly.

"We have our own resources for monitoring, you know."

"But do you have anyone with access to senior management?" the man pressed.

Osman took a long sip of her tea and waited to answer allowing the question to hang pathetically in the air. "Mr. Wainwright, why the change of heart? You don't strike me as a patriot."

"I have my reasons," MacKenzie said, avoiding eye contact.

"Is it because you've fallen out of favor?" Osman now pressed in aggressively leaning forward and causing the man to pull back. "Were not you and Natalia Misriah an item and is her interest now elsewhere?"

"Well, I…I mean….," he stammered.

"And the fact that Spanner Misriah is still in New York and you are now here would seem to support that contention."

"Do you want my help or don't you?" MacKenzie declared petulantly.

"Mr. Wainwright we are always willing to talk to those who are interested in advancing the cause of the UNSC _and the power of the Office of Naval Intelligence_ the senior officer thought. "If you discover anything you think might be of interest to us please give me a call." She handed him her card with direct number on it.

"Fine, I'll be in touch," MacKenzie huffed and then ego bruised he got up and left without any pleasantries.

Captain Osman's communications device went off.

"Did you hear?" the aide asked, knowing her boss was on the other end.

"Of course," Admiral Parangosky replied smugly.

"So what do you think?"

"We'll see," the shrewd officer replied. "I don't suspect he'll be able to give us anything truly interesting but we might be able to use him to sow some seeds of our own. I expect you back here immediately."

The admiral hung up without further comment and Serin Osman was left to again consider the path she was travelling.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

November 21, 2552, 1555hrs, Cleveland, Ohio, United States, Planet Earth

Lepidus' shuttle almost made it off the ground. Three Phantoms from the _Harbinger of Piety_ swooped down surrounding the Brute's ship just as the Minister of Inquisition beamed himself onto the view screen of Lepidus' craft.

"Ah, shipmaster, how very good to have the chance to talk again," the San'Shyuum declared glibly.

"Excellency," Lepidus responded politely with a nod of his head but internally he swore. "Our campaign goes well but time is important. So if you'll excuse me…"

"And yet you have a critical component on your shuttle, don't you?" the minister leaned in smiling smugly.

Lepidus seethed, unable to keep the mask on. "What do you mean?" he tried to play dumb.

"The human you have on your shuttle," the Minister of Inquisition replied, the beard-like growth on his chin bouncing as he chuckled. "You were, of course, in the process of bringing him to me."

"Of course," the Brute lied, "but after I had made sure this was not a waste of your valuable time.

How very thoughtful of you." The gangly creature lied back. "But no need to worry. I'll take him off your hands so you can be fully engaged in the campaign to take this city."

"But…"

"I insist," the Minister responded, no longer with an amused tone.

"Shipmaster," Mygaeum interrupted in a low voice, "his ships are firing up their heavy plasma cannons."

"Fine," a furious Lepidus grunted out. "He is all yours." The ambitious Jiralhanae chieftain vowed to find and kill the one who'd tipped off the minister.

Ruwan was quickly hustled away by those the San'Shyuum sent and was whisked away within minutes heading to the _Harbinger of Piety_.

"What now?" Mygaeum asked his fuming commander.

"I do not know," the shaggy Brute confessed angrily. "We return to the ship and figure out our next steps. I will have that Key and I will succeed."

"And what of the campaign for the human city?" his second-in-command asked.

"We begin to destroy it, no more holding back," Lepidus responded angrily, looking for some place to direct his rage. "We'll dig the portal out of the rubble of this place once I get that key."

Several kilometers away a drama of a distinctly less political nature was taking place as combat between human and Covenant became more intense. The alien invaders were no longer interested in holding ground but were now aggressively initiating the assault against the human forces trying to take the city back.

Mike and the Wolf Pack along with the UNSC Army brigade combat team they'd been supporting had just finished pushing through a thickening screen of Grunts and Jackals when the familiar _whoosh_ sound of falling plasma rounds filled the air giving an immediate sense of urgency.

"Incoming, fall back!" Mike called out urgently. "Wraiths!"

In quick succession four of the white with purple hued rounds from the Covenant Type 26 Assault Gun Carriers fell where the humans had been moments earlier. Fortunately Mike had not only been focused but had a keen ear to hear the distinctive whine of the incoming rounds.

One of the 47 ton armored fighting vehicles pushed right through a house on the side of the road the human's force had been travelling up. As it was coming out the twin automated plasma cannons opened up at a staccato pitch as three more Wraiths came lumbering into the engagement.

"They've got us bracketed! Mike yelled. "Move to the rally point," the Spartan called out as the Covenant forces began to attack with a ferocity he'd not seen so far.

The UNSC forces had been reinforced and were making good progress again. The Covenant had been putting up only a token resistance but then they'd seemed to hit a brick wall. But suddenly it seemed as if the brick wall was starting to push back. As the human's withdrew Covenant infantry pressed forward as well to support their armor.

"Where the hell did this come from?" Alissa yelled as she fired a quick shot from her sniper rifle that glanced off the winged helmet of a Brute captain.

Matt grabbed two wounded Army troopers and dragged them to safety while Maia provided covering fire for the burly assaulter. Terrell did the best he could to counter the Covenant surge with his M247 GPMG but it was doing little to stem to flow. A UNSC Army rocket launcher team bravely pushed forward and loosed two 102mm high explosive rounds from their M41 SPNKr finding their mark. The lead Wraith blew up but two of the others brought fire to pair on the pair of soldiers and they were obliterated in a hail of plasma. The sacrifice of the soldiers allowed the rest of the advance party to fall back east several blocks to a good defensive position in a light industrial area with large parking lots affording good fields of fire. As the Covenant forces reorganized for another push Mike went to the brigade communications net.

"Juggernaut Main, this is Wolfpack Actual, we are meeting heavy resistance on our axis of advance," Mike reported urgently, unsure how much time they'd have before they got hit again, "need immediate heavy armor or air support, over."

"Wolf Pack Actual, no can do on the support at this time," the combat controller for the brigade reported, urgency in her own voice, "we are facing heavy resistance and counter attack along the whole front. No assets are available, hang tight."

Mike swore. "Copy that, Juggernaut Main, we're on our own. Wolf Pack Actual out."

"What do we do?" the Army captain in charge of the combat team asked Mike as Melanie joined them for an informal O group.

"Wait one," Mike responded tensely, doing a quick assessment of the area and trying to gauge their situation while also bringing up a tactical map of the area on the HUD in his helmet.

"I'll push out and recce the area," Mel offered, "and try to find the Covvies concentration and disposition."

Mike opened his mouth to counter the wise suggestion but caught himself seeing the wisdom of her move. "Good call Mel. See what they have and where we can hit them."

Melanie melted into the shadows of the buildings they were standing by and began her reconnaissance.

"In the meantime we anchor our line with our Warthogs and use our rocket launchers to take out those Wraiths. With no armor support we're going to have to do this ourselves. But we need to stay mobile, captain, we can't be static or we're dead. Wraiths have a slow fire rate and their trajectory is their weakness. We need to push and get inside their cone of fire."

"What about their infantry support?" the officer asked wisely.

"We need to get them back on their heels, tie them up," Mike countered. "We do that and take out their AFVs and we can even the odds. Okay, let's move."

The human liberators of Cleveland quickly set up establishing their fields of fire while the Army platoon and section commanders were already looking for their next locations since all knew they wouldn't be there long. The idea was hit and move in an attempt to turn back the Covenant counterattack.

For the Wolf Pack Alissa had already gone into the multistoried building to find an advantageous spot for counter sniper fire and targets of opportunity, Matt had primed a number of grenades and reloaded his shotgun while Terrell made sure he had several belts of 7.62mm ammo close at hand and Maia prepared to cover him so he could concentrate fully on providing fire support. Mike took this all in watching his team in motion like a proud father. He didn't have to give them orders to do this; they now fell into their roles automatically. He couldn't believe it had only been less than two months they'd been working together yet they fit well and were a potent force. Looking at his team and the Army troopers setting up he couldn't help but wonder how many would be left after the coming fight.

_So many dead the past few months_ he pondered thinking of those left behind on Mars and Reach. The pride in his team was tinged by sadness as he thought of Noble Team. He thought anew of Commander Carter and wished they'd had more time together, of Jorge, who'd given his life thinking they'd won, Kat who hadn't had a chance to shoot back and Emile who'd sacrificed himself so the Smart AI Cortana could escape the doomed planet.

_Who's going to remember them?_ Mike thought to himself. _And what about all the others who were lost in the cause? _He knew he cared, the old Lone Wolf was gone, but that also came at a heavy price as the sheer volume of loss was overwhelming. And then in a moment he had a flash memory of talking to Natalia before he'd left of the nightmares she'd mentioned about her experience on Mars. _I missed that,_ he thought to himself and realized their might be more to it then he'd thought.

"Incoming!"

The familiar hiss of plasma rounds from a Wraith inbound meant Mike had to table those thoughts for another time, if there was another time.

The rounds splashed harmlessly away from the human position as the gunners seemed to be looking to get their range. Covenant infantry pressed to the periphery but didn't seem interested in pushing into the UNSC kill zone. Both sides began to exchange fire and while bullets whizzed through the air like angry hornets and plasma rounds sizzled all around there was little damage dealt out by either side. For several minutes Mike and the other UNSC leaders began to think the Covenant had resorted to their old tactic of stalling for time but the fantasy was only short lived.

A familiar whine from above signaled new players to the game. A pair of Banshees came looping in on a high arc and opened fire with their twin Class-2 Energy Guns. Plasma rounds splashed around the human position taking out several Army fire teams. The Warthogs opened up with their M41 LAAGs spitting rounds in the air to try to knock down the purple ground support aircraft. The Banshees came by for another pass and as they banked away from another deadly run one of the Warthog gunners connected causing the aircraft to explode in an orange fireball. The troops around it cheered but only momentarily when the Wraiths opened up again and found their mark, destroying the Force Application Vehicle in an equally impressive explosion and taking out an additional half dozen soldiers in the process.

"Displace!" Mike yelled. "They have us bracketed!" He swore too himself for holding too long but in truth his leadership was more geared towards small party action like his team then moving pieces on a chess board-like action of integrated tactics. But that was the level of confidence even senior command had in Spartans that they would defer command to supersoldier s like Mike.

The UNSC forces moved quickly and well, to the credit of Mike who'd thoroughly briefed them so while a blocking force held their position and also ensured the remaining Banshee was kept at bay the remainder surged forward much to the surprise of the Covenant attackers.

The move was fortunate as a series of plasma strikes from the Wraiths fell harmlessly where many had been previously. The sharp _crack_ of Alissa's SRS99 sniper rifle could be heard above small arms fire as Mike and Matt led the tip of the spear surging forward. Terrell and Maia moved in disciplined bounds to provide critical fire support allowing the UNSC forces to punch through the Grunt screen to their front as well as send the Kig-Yar Skirmishers that were forward running.

A pack of Brutes led by a Captain Major resplendent in gold armor came forward on the left flank of the UNSC assault with a roar leading a group of both Unggoy and Kig-Yar checking the advance and the fight was on. Two fire teams of Army troopers opened up on the almost nine foot tall Jiralhanae but their armor piercing rounds bounced harmlessly off the power armor it wore. With an almost barking laugh it turned and fired the brute shot it carried landing several of the anti-personnel grenades in the middle of the troopers. Too late they tried to scramble out of the way as the ensuing explosion threw them in the air like rag dolls. The high ranking Covenant officer then directed its charges towards the concentrating UNSC forces breaking them up and forcing most to fall back. The Brute, with several of its clansmen then charged with surprising speed into another group of troopers skewering one with the blade end of its brute shot lifting the screaming soldier high in the air and tossing him aside like rubbish.

Mike could see this threat but was in no position to do anything, trading shots with another concentrated force to his front. The rest of the Wolf Pack was similarly engaged and it looked like their flank would be turned then as if materializing out of nothing Melanie came charging from behind the Covenant party. Holding a cooked plasma grenade she stuck it to the back of the Captain Major before it could realize it and kept on running back to the human line. The Brute didn't realize until it detonated a moment later and its lifeless body fell with a heavy thud to the ground. The Jackals squawked in dismay and fell back with the Grunts began to panic effectively ending the dangerous move.

"Great job, Mel!" Mike called out enthusiastically over the TEAMCOM. "Your timing was perfect."

"I didn't want you to miss me too much," she responded cheekily.

"Any SITREP from your scouting?" Mike asked, getting back to the point.

"Yea, they're moving their armor up but they don't have a deep reserve, we can take them," the aggressive female Spartan declared.

"Outstanding! Hear that Wolf Pack? Let's keep pushing," Mike ordered.

But just as they started to move the Covenant Wraiths came into position and began to open up not only with their heavy plasma mortar but even more dangerously with their plasma cannons.

As the Wraiths continued to seek to find their mark the UNSC's Gauss Warthog came roaring out of the shadows of a flanking position to catch the Covenant commanders off guard. The gunner opened up with his M68 ALIM firing 25x130mm slugs at a speed of almost Mach 40 into the first Wraith. Three rounds punched through it and it exploded with a satisfying display of fireworks. Before the Covenant forces could respond the driver had expertly shifted course and speed to bring it to bear on the next platform, the gunner traversing the gun to open fire again with the same results. The beleaguered Army troopers let out a spontaneous cheer at the turn of events but it was short lived as a hulking Jiralhanae Stalker stepped out of cover and uncloaked its grey armor then fired off in quick succession a full magazine of six grenades from a brute shot. The grenade launcher did the trick as several fell into the Gauss Hog that tried to get out of the way. An equally spectacular explosion filled the air which was followed by a well-placed plasma round from the remaining Wraith that destroyed the last remaining UNSC machine gun position besides Terrell's. With the human rate of fire dropping the Covenant forces surged forward anew believing they could overwhelm them.

"We've got to take out that Wraith!" Mike called over the comms to the Army commander, "bring up the jackhammer crew. Alissa take care of the Stalker."

As the last human team brought their M41 rocket launcher out into the open to eliminate the dangerous threat Alissa switched her focus trying to pick up the again cloaked Stalker. But the Spartan sniper was patient and found it melted back into a packet of trees. She squeezed off one than another 14.5x114mm rounds that snapped the Jiralhanae's head back eliminating the threat. Unfortunately for the human rocket launcher team, with Terrell displaced and no other machine guns the amount of fire support was inadequate to help the pair of soldiers get a shot. They only made it halfway to their firing position before they were brought down in a hail of rounds from Jackals firing needle rifles. As the purplish pink crystalline shards exploded a growing feeling of doom came over the humans.

Mike knew the battle hung in the balance and so despite withering Covenant fire he sprinted from his position to the rocket launcher. The alarm claxon began to chime as his shield became dangerously low but reaching down in one smooth motion he grabbed the SPNKr and without aiming brought it up and squeezed the trigger.

The round was perfectly placed. It split the seam between the main body and the propulsion unit and found its mark. Though there was no spectacular explosion there was a dull_ thud_ within and the gun carriage ground to a halt, totally inoperative.

Now the odds were more even.

"Come on, let's go!" Mike called, turning back to rally the remaining troops. Despite his shield alarm going off he knew he'd be okay. "Wolf Pack, take out the Brutes, Army, sweep everything else. We've got them!"

With both sides even in terms of numbers and no support vehicles or aircraft the human grabbed the initiative and set the Covenant forces back on their heels. A Brute Captain who tried to rally its forces in the face of the counterattack was dispatched with two head shots from Alissa and another officer was quickly overwhelmed by Matt who was supported by Maia. For a moment there was a void in leadership which Mike and the rest of the UNSC forces exploited. The Grunts began to scatter in panic while Jackals and Skirmishers melted into the surrounding buildings seeing the writing on the wall.

Almost.

A loud ripping sound filled the air followed by a luminous green incendiary gel that flew into a group of Army troopers killing them all. With a fearsome bellow two heavily armored creatures standing 12 feet tall and weighing over 10,000 pounds came charging in.

"What the hell are those things?" Matt called out. The usually fearless assaulter had an edge of fear to his voice.

"Hunters! Fall back and find cover!" Mike called out urgently.

The pair of Mgalekgolo came bull rushing in and even the Brutes still in the fight ran to get out of their way. Heavy arm shield lowered one easily flipped a destroyed Warthog in its way while its fuel rod gun recharged. The second came in and loosed another blast from its cannon barely missing Melanie who was scrambling to get out of the way.

Terrell fired a stream of armor-piercing slugs at the Hunters but the rounds bounced off its lowered arm shield but did attract the attention of the armored juggernauts. The second armor-shelled Mgalekgolo turned towards the African American teen and fired from its arm mounted assault cannon. Terrell abandoned not only his position but his GPMG as well but wasn't quite fast enough as the green incendiary gel clipped him moving away. Terrell screamed in agony as it cut through his SPI armor and melted his flesh. Matt sprinted over and moved his teammate to safety, giving him a shot of biofoam to stabilize the wound.

"How do we fight these things?" Maia called out, watching a burst from her BR55 battle rifle bounce harmlessly off its armored shell.

"Rockets or grenades in the back," Mike called out, downing an inattentive Jackal who'd stopped to watch the show with a three round burst from his assault rifle. "Try to hit anything exposed. If you see orange that's the target."

That proved easier said than done, even for Mike who'd tangled with these beasts before. The Wolf Pack tried for several minutes to get into good position to attack the behemoth but each time the pair shifted nimbly to meet the threat or else one effectively covered the other. While they stayed out of melee range the Spartans had several close call and once Mike had to take the full blast from an assault cannon to cover for one of his team members draining his shield completely forcing him to pull back. The UNSC Army troopers fared even worse taking mounting casualties from the Hunters. With no rocket launchers they only had grenades and they bounced off the Mgalekgolo's heavy armor plating. Something needed to change or the simple equation of attrition would wear the human forces down.

"Matt, I'll draw its fire," Mike ordered, "you get in behind as it's distracted and use your shotgun."

"Are you crazy? That thing will beat you into the ground," Matt exclaimed.

"Just do it, Wolf 6," Mike ordered.

Moving out of cover the Lone Wolf fired an ineffective burst from his assault rifle but that did the trick of getting the attention of the Hunters. One loosed a round from its cannon but the Spartan moved too fast and the burst flew into a parked vehicle obliterating it. Mike came in close continuing to fire. The Hunter then nimbly sidestepped the charging Spartan and lowered its arm shield and with surprising quickness that caught Mike off guard stepped into his charge catching him full force with a shoulder block. It was as if the armor he wore weighted nothing and he'd run into a wall. Mike bounced off the behemoth landing with a heavy thud on his back. The Hunter screamed in triumph ready to stove Mike's armor in with his shield but in the process didn't see Matt come running in from behind and in quick succession fired three 8 gauge magnum shells from his shotgun into the exposed rear of the beast. The worm-like Lekgolo colony that makes up the armored warrior flew apart and the Mgalekgolo fell to the ground as the remaining creatures wriggled to get free of the heavy armor shell.

The Hunter's mate screamed in anguish at the death. It fired off a round from its assault cannon destroying a cluster group of UNSC infantry troopers while also charging in a through another group that tried to engage the behemoth, knocking them over like bowling pins.

Mike had regained his faculties by this point and rolled over slowly to see the destructive wake of the Hunter. Matt tried the same tactic as before but this time the remaining Hunter caught him in his flanking move and flipped him in the air like a rag doll. The assaulter went down hard and lay motionless. Watching the carnage around him Mike got a burst of adrenaline and leapt to his feet and starting running towards the juggernaut. The Mgalekgolo saw him coming and fired but the Lone Wolf sidestepped the charge when he saw its cannon starting to spool up. The Hunter then dropped its shoulder and held its shield low to bull rush the Spartan. Again Mike anticipated this. He pulled out of his run and shifted his body position. His momentum almost caused him to somersault.

Almost.

Instead the Hunter's anticipated place of attack was empty and it was out of positon. Mike again began to move but put one foot on the extended shield and used it to lever himself up and over the armored beast, landing behind it. As the Spartan jumped and turned in the air simultaneously he grabbed a grenade and primed it. Landing nimbly he stuffed the 40mm HE bomb in the Hunter's joint between armor plates. Before the first one had gone off he'd grabbed another and did the same thing. The Hunter's momentum caused it to stumble to its knees then the grenades went off with a tremendous boom and the Hunter fell forward, dead.

"Hellova move, Spartan," the captain of the Army contingent he led congratulated him. "So what now?" The fit officer asked, bleeding from a head and shoulder wound.

Mike looked around and for the first time really got a sense of the carnage that had resulted from the last engagement. Nearly three-quarters of the Army troopers were dead or wounded and all their heavy weapons vehicles were destroyed. Among the Wolf Pack Terrell was down and out of the fight and Matt was up and moving but barely.

"We need to find a way to press on, captain," Mike answered though in his heart he knew they were combat ineffective. "Our objective hasn't changed."

The captain's look changed to deep concern. He opened his mouth to rebut but the decision became moot.

"All units, this is Juggernaut Actual," Colonel Toliver called over the TACCOM overriding all other team or unit communications, "Disengage immediately and pull back to Rally Line Mystic. I repeat, pull back to Rally Line Mystic."

Mike didn't have to look at the tactical map on his HUD to know that they were giving up nearly all their hard-earned gains since their point of withdrawal was right near their initial staging area. Then looking around at the state of his battle group he knew that if everyone else had suffered the same fate in the aggressive and well-supported Covenant counterattack this signaled a general retreat. It seemed the invaders were now actively fighting for the city after their initial passive response.

More serious though, it looked like they were losing Cleveland

**November 21, 2552, 1550hrs, HIGHCOM Facility Bravo Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

"The Hive" was thriving three kilometers below the surface. With attacks ongoing in Africa and America let alone other actions going on in space there was much for the main headquarters of the UNSC to be involved with. Senior officers scurried around as quickly as aides and there was an atmosphere that reflected the building grim news. Sheltered by anti-EMP armor and massive blast plating this was a place not only of action but ambition, a coveted posting for the ambitious even in a desperate time for survival from annihilation since ambition is never checked by such petty things as the threat of extinction.

It was for all but one.

Natalia was back in the same undecorated and lifeless office going over reports. She'd been relegated after Reach to the same position which was bad enough but then after her experience as a Combat Controller on Mars she knew she could do more with her time in the military. Before Reach she'd been no different than most of the others and had saw work here as a game to play and win but now that she'd experienced the reality of life outside this political bubble she knew she could do more. Opportunity no longer seemed to knock outside the door of Natalia Misriah.

The ONI officer's job was to collate intelligence information from the current theatres of operation to forward to Captain Osman. It was an entirely redundant job since Natalia knew the admiral's Smart AI Black Box would present that information to her already and process it in a fraction of a second. Yet she was tasked with this mind-numbing exercise. The politically astute woman knew that was likely the point and refused to have her spirits broken. Her nightmares about Mars continued and she contemplated anew talking to someone about it but her father was back in New York and busy while there was no one here to talk to. A shrink? No way. The proud woman wouldn't even consider it. Instead she tabled the thought anew preferring to mull over her relationship with Mike. She wanted to see him, talk to him, but that was impossible considering he was in combat right now. The competitive woman had already admitted she was jealous of Melanie, the Spartan and friend from Mike's childhood who was now with him on his team. The attractive supersoldier seemed to have an interest in Mike beyond rekindling old friendships and that bugged Natalia a lot. She'd like to talk to someone about this but in reality had no real friends. Even MacKenzie who was back in Australia had avoided her which was in reality a good thing but still hurt in a way.

Trying to distract herself from the unproductive and upsetting chain of thought Natalia see a report come in from the field commander in the operation to retake Cleveland so decided to read it and see if there were any updates on Mike. And then she found what she sought: an After Action Report that mentioned the Wolf Pack and their latest exploits. While her heart soared to read of Mike's latest deeds it also sunk knowing she should be with him or helping the war effort in some way. There was so much more she could do than be a pawn in a political struggle between her father and Admiral Parangosky. Then as she considered this her eyes automatically continued to scan through casualty reports until they came to rest on one name.

Campbell, Mandy, sergeant, SN: 17160-72900-MC MOS: 68W Combat Medic.

Mandy was dead.

The name connected instantly and Natalia remembered the flirtatious medic who she'd first met on Reach and then again when they'd arrived back on Earth. The woman had been obviously interested in Mike and had not only flirted with him openly but had also tried to undermine their relationship. Natalia realized with a start she was glad the woman was dead and actually saw her reflection in the monitor she was looking into smiling.

_What are you thinking?_ She thought to herself, horrified at the thought.

Natalia had seen so much death and destruction on Reach and then again on Mars that the thought she was glad someone who was serving the fight for humanity was dead was repulsive. She felt sick to her stomach and bile reached up into her mouth. Yes, the woman had been a rival, yes, she had been annoying, but no one deserved to die.

_What's Mike feeling right now?_

Instinctively she knew Mike would be aware of this, something inside her even figured he may have been there. What would be going on with him, especially after how they'd parted? That idea sickened her even more.

Natalia loved Mike and he loved her. There was little question about that. But was it enough? Things always seemed to be conspiring against them. A grim sense of fatalism began to creep in anew and she couldn't put it down to the nightmares she was having, no, this was a renewed fatalism. With humanity standing on the brink of destruction her own spirit and sense of optimism was as well. The tormented woman had the strong urge to go back to her favorite bar and loose herself like she used to do.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**November 21, 2552, 1640hrs, Orbital Defense Platform **_**Nassau Station**_**, geosynchronous orbit above Planet Earth**

The alarm claxon rang in the control center of the ODP that traveled high above Earth, signaling the station commander had an important announcement.

"All stations, listen up. We have a Priority One Alpha fire mission from FLEETCOMM, this overrides all previous taskings. We've received a fire mission for an HVT at co-ordinates 41.4993 by 81.6944."

"Ma'am, those co-ordinates are out of range," the fire control officer reported to the Asian woman who stood at the command pod. "Our MAC rounds won't get anywhere close to the High Value Target."

"Understood," the commander responded in a gentle yet firm voice. "We are authorized to engage thrusters to bring us into the right range."

The buzz of conversation stopped and those on the command deck of the station could hardly believe what they were hearing. To change their orbit was an extremely difficult, costly and risky maneuver that was used only in the rarest circumstances.

The head of the station ignored this staying focused on the new mission. "Engineering, prepare for limited burn to adjust orbit and bring us in range for fire mission on my mark." She paused, waiting for the green light to come up on her status board signaling they were ready. "Burn now."

The station's thrusters engaged to shift them to the desired position. It took a sustain firing of the massive engines to get them to the appropriate position.

"Fire Control, fire mission on grid 41.4993 by 81.6944," the station commander ordered.

The fire control officer on Nassau Station responded, "Target locked. Prepare to fire for effect. Bringing the MAC gun online, making it hot."

"Roger that, when ready, fire for effect."

**November 21, 2552, 1640hrs, Covenant CCS-Class Battlecruiser **_**Harbinger of Piety**_**, above Cleveland, Ohio, United States, Planet Earth**

Ruwan didn't look out the viewport during the short trip from Cleveland to the Covenant fleet. He didn't look at the Brutes around him either. He was thinking about Myras but even more he thought about his brother who he hadn't talked to in months. The pair had drifted apart over the years after being close growing up as kids. He wasn't sure how that happened, it was just one of those things that happen when ambition takes people in different directions. He started thinking about the imagination-fueled story that had brought about the Key of Osanalan and the hours of fun they had defeating evil and saving the fair princess. While initially it gave him a touch of melancholy a stronger reconnection came about and determination to go through with what he'd proposed. The young man felt a growing peace as he also felt the shuttle dock.

"This is for you, bro," Ruwan whispered to himself.

Four Brutes escorted the prisoner to the bridge of the battlecruiser. All over the ship the crew members stopped to look at the human squawking and warbling excitedly about what this meant. This was lost on Ruwan who was focused on the task at hand.

Fifteen minutes later Ruwan stood before the Minister of inquisition who arrogantly watched the captive being brought before him.

"Bow before me infidel and unworthy one," Inquisition ordered.

Ruwan refused but was pushed to his knees by the Brute on his right which elicited a chuckle of delight from the San'Shyuum watching.

"Now then, you want me to believe that you are the host for the sacred object we seek?" Inquisition asked.

"You can believe whatever you want," Ruwan replied, pretending to be afraid. "I am the Key."

"The Key? What do you really know about the Key? You think you can fool us, the agents of the divines?" the Prophet shot back.

"I am the Key," the young man retorted.

"Foolish human, you think we would not find the tracker that was injected into you?" the San'Shyuum stated smugly sitting on his floating antigravity chair. "There is no hope of rescue, this ship and fleet are too strong." A low chuckle emitted from the minister at the cleverness of his discovery. "We will take this Key."

"Actually, you're the fool," Ruwan countered, happy to finally be able to drop the guise of fear. "This was never about a rescue."

"Then what was it about?" the Prophet asked, the smugness starting to drop as a sudden concern began to fill him. Too late he figured things out.

"I'm the key to your destruction," Ruwan retorted, a smile growing on his face.

"Minister, inbound projectiles imminent!" a sensor operator called out urgently.

"Evasive maneuverers!" Inquisition screamed, the fur-covered wattle dangling beneath his chin shaking.

"It's too late," the operator called back.

"You brazen fool, you will suffer the same fate!" the minister hissed at Ruwan.

"You know what buddy, you can kiss my ass," Ruwan answered, suddenly at peace.

In quick succession two 600-ton ferric-tungsten rounds sliced through the ship's shields and slammed deep into the battlecruiser. Seconds later a chain reaction of explosions caused the core of the ship to overheat and go supernova, triggering a blinding flash of light deep into space.

On the _Triumphant Declaration_ the attack was greeted with a surprised response as the rest of the small fleet reacted.

"Shipmaster! Massive damage to the _Harbinger of Piety_. The humans fired on it with their space cannon," a sensor operator called out urgently. "Shall we assist?"

"No, they're lost, pull out of orbit and move out of the way," Lepidus yelled back, "get us out of their trajectory," he called as a MAC round hit a corvette in the fleet.

"What about the battle of the ground?" Mygaeum asked his commander.

"Withdraw our forces immediately," the Brute chieftain ordered.

"But what of the Key?" Mygaeum asked. "What of our prize?"

"It doesn't exist. It was a trick of the humans," Lepidus answered, furious with himself for being tricked. He'd been listening in on the conversation between Ruwan and the Minister of Inquisition.

"Shall I prepare the main ventral cannon to fire on the city?"

"No, their cursed space guns will leave us with no fleet left, there's no time for that," Lepidus answered, gaining control of his emotions. "Keep the shields up and keep changing course. We don't want to share their fate. By the time we get our forces off the humans will be firing on us. No, we leave to their island of Africa. That's where the real prize is. We need to get there before it's too late. But one last thing, bring me the prisoner who led us on this ruse, I'm going to take his head."

Moments later James Ackerson stood before the enraged Brute. The Army officer could feel the ship moving and had heard the explosions so knew things were going bad for the Covenant.

"Things not working out as planned?" Ackerson said smugly, no longer feigning fear.

An enraged Lepidus cuffed him on the side of the head sending him flying into a wall. "Worm! I will tear you apart limb from limb. What have you done?"

Ackerson got slowly up to his feet and wiped blood away from his mouth. "I've shown you just how stupid you really are."

"And how do you figure that?" Lepidus demanded, raising his massive paw to strike the man again.

Though Ackerson flinched he didn't move. "Simple. I could convince you that the Key of Osanalan was real. It was just something that my brother and I made up when we were kids and you followed it, to you doom."

Another MAC round connected with another ship causing it to explode triggering everyone on the bridge to react.

"See what I mean?" the colonel stated more than asked. "Your pompous arrogance is going to cost you this war."

Lepidus screamed in frustration and embarrassment. Pulling out his Jiralhanae Combat Knife he whipped the curved and serrated blade up high and then in one smooth motion brought it down decapitating the Army officer who died with a broad smile of satisfaction on his face.

The shipmaster turned to see the others looking at him for his uncontrolled action. "Now get our troops off the ground and get us out of here!" he bellowed.

On the ground both the human and Covenant combatants saw the fireworks in the sky as several of the alien invaders capital ships exploded.

"What just happened?" Matt exclaimed as the rest of the Spartans looked up into the afternoon sun.

"MAC round from one of our ODPs it looks like," Maia answered.

The Wolf Pack and the remaining UNSC Army troopers they were with had been bracing for another Covenant attack after expending most of their resources on the last one. Not only had the Brute-led assault broken their own recent advance but despite putting their heels into the ground they were being pushed back. Then the general fall back had been called signaling a need for a major consolidation and they'd been forced into the posture of a tactical withdrawal. The only problem was the Covenant forces smelled blood and wouldn't allow them the separation they need to fall back. Instead they were forced into a fighting retreat being pressed the whole way. So progress had been slow and the rate of attrition grew.

Then the Covenant's fleet was attacked.

In the span of less than ten minutes the Covenant went from the aggressor force to a posture of withdrawal themselves.

There was a sense of panicked disorder to their retreat which Mike saw as an opportunity to exploit. "Let's go! Let's push them back!" Mike called out over the comms as he surged after them.

"But didn't we get the order to fall back?" Mel asked, coming with him though hesitantly.

"Situation has changed," Mike countered, firing a full auto burst of assault rifle fire into a group of panicked Grunts who scattered and ran at the action. "They're on the run, we can sweep them."

"Shouldn't we wait for orders?" she responded, tossing a grenade at a pair of Jackals trying to slip into the neighborhood.

"No time, we'll lose the initiative. Besides, Spartans lead the way."

That was all the aggressive woman needed to hear and she joyfully moved with Mike into the mix as the rest of the Spartans in his team and Army troopers began to push back after suffering for so long of late. The Covenant forces tried desperately to find the separation to withdraw as the humans had been doing only minutes earlier but the UNSC forces doggedly stuck to them and casualties started to mount.

"Break, break. This is Spearthrust to Wolf Pack Actual."

Mike recognized the call sign of Colonel Holland, their handler and overall Special Operations commander, coming over the TEAMCOMM so signaled a halt to the team.

"This is Wolf Pack, go ahead Spearthrust," he responded.

"Be advised Actual that I am initiating a mission override for you and your team. Be advised a Pelican is inbound to extract you and your team from this AO and retuning you to New York for priority re-tasking."

"Say again, Spearthrust?" Mike responded in surprise.

"I'm pulling you out," Colonel Holland answered patiently. "You're needed elsewhere."

"But sir, the Covenant are on the run and we can sweep them from this place but the forces here are low," Mike protested, "and their support elements have been destroyed. They need us."

"I understand that, Mike," Holland answered, "but Army can take care of things. The Covenant are in full retreat and withdrawing their forces from Cleveland."

"They're withdrawing?"

"Yes, our ODPs took out a couple of their capital ships and they're running. The others can mop up here but we need to get you to Africa ASAP, things have taken a turn there."

Mike was stunned by the news and the implications of it but he was a soldier and followed orders. "Roger that. Setting a pickup point for the Pelican now."

"All right. I'll meet you in New York and brief you in," Holland answered leaving Mike with his thoughts.

Mike briefed the Army company commander he'd been working with in on the development and then he watched the troopers move forward at a timid pace resulting in the Covenant achieving the separation they were looking for to withdraw. Mike couldn't blame the Army forces since without any heavy support elements and now losing their Spartan assets they were vulnerable if this was a feint or if the alien invaders started to push back.

But this didn't seem to be the case.

The Covenant forces seemed to be pulling out as fast as they could. In the far distance he could see Phantom troop carriers starting to leave the city. It seemed like despite the odds they'd won.

Mike though happy with the realization felt there was unfinished business and hated to leave a fight still unresolved. He thought back to Reach and not only the members of Noble Team left there but all those who lost their lives. He'd done everything he could to change the outcome but who was he? He was just one man, even if he was a Spartan. Then there was Mars. They'd been unprepared but had adjusted and fought well. For a time there as well, they thought they could win but in the end they couldn't and many young men and women were left behind. He began to fatalistically wonder if anything he did mattered. His relationship Natalia was up and down and even Gunny MacGregor was mad at him for being left behind. He looked over at Melanie getting the team organized for extraction and was glad she was with him but even that caused confusion. The biometer on his HUD registered an elevated heart rate so he actually took the time to look at his historic readout and saw that his heart rate had been steadily elevating. Was it stress? _Couldn't be_, he thought, he was a Spartan, didn't the augmentation take care of that? No, in fact the opposite. It allowed him to continue to push, ignoring all his body's warning signs, until a heart attack killed him or a stroke blew up his brain. That, or the Covenant killed him first. Either way, the clock was ticking.

Happy thought.

The old fatalism began to creep in to Mike Lantz, the pressure of legacy and expectation began to overwhelm him. He began to curse himself for the folly of opening himself up to emotions rather than keeping them bottled up. He then cursed himself for the perceived weakness of feelings. Yet he also had to remind himself that he was a man not a machine despite looking like one in his MJOLNIR armor.

And therein lay the rub.

He was a man, and he did have feelings, he was also a Spartan and much of him had been changed in augmentation. He had a task to perform as a supersoldier which dictated what he did but he also was a man with free will and so the ability to think and feel...and dare he say: hope?

For too long Mike Nantz had been on autopilot, he was the Lone Wolf, a killing machine, but things had changed on Reach. He would not go back to the old, cold person he'd once been that had locked the world away. Yes, he was going to die but then everyone dies at some point. It's not a matter of 'if' but 'when' and so he determined anew to live life to the fullest and leave no regret. That was within his control. True, much of his course was being dictated to him but he could choose the way he interacted with what he faced. No, he was going to truly live.

"Mike? Mike, are you okay?" Melanie asked.

"What?" he asked back, not realizing she'd come up to stand beside him.

"I said are you okay?" the perceptive woman asked.

"Yea, I'm fine, just a lot on my mind," Mike answered feebly. He could tell she was assessing him by her body language and particular tilt of her head though he couldn't see her face behind the shield of her Mark V Recon helmet.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Melanie asked, taking a step closer to him.

"No, it's all good," Mike lied, embarrassed at being caught in deep reflection.

"All right, Pelican's inbound, time to get out of here," she answered, holding her position and showing by her body language she knew he'd lied but respecting his decision. "But if that changes, let me know."

**November 22, 2552, ****0800hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"We're live this morning with Spanner Misriah, CEO and owner of Misriah Armory," the attractive woman wearing a tailored business suit said into the camera as it panned back to show Spanner sitting comfortably in a stuffed chair in black business suit. The holo broadcast of the top morning show was going out not only across America but the world. "While UNSC forces have been able to successfully repel Covenant forces in Cleveland battles still rage in other parts of the world. Mr. Misriah, you're the top arms supplier to our forces but you're not here this morning to talk about that."

"No, this is the wrong broadcast for that kind of discussion. Besides, I wouldn't want to bore you or your audience with those types of things, Caitlyn," Spanner responded with an easy smile eliciting a warm smile in return from the host who flipped her blond hair playfully.

"This has to do with your speech at the UN tribunal you were before the other day, isn't it?" the woman who already knew the answer set him up.

"Yes, thankfully the tribunal understood my actions and saw the benefit of them so that issue is closed," Spanner declared genuinely.

"So this has to do with the Spartans?"

"That's correct."

"I suspect that anyone who's on the holonet or has a screen has watched all or some part of your speech the other day," the woman stated, then leaning in continued, "and I and many others honestly didn't think you had it in you. I mean to speak passionately and compassionately for a weapon system is not the norm for you."

"And that's my point Caitlyn," Spanner leaned towards the host, ready to speak about what he was doing there. "While they are a powerful weapon they are not a system, they're people. The very point you made shows we've forgotten that."

The woman blushed visibly, caught in the moment as she was captivated by the powerful man. Rather than be angry she became intrigued. "So, what brought about this sudden interest?" she asked, drawn in.

"Well, that's in many ways personal," Spanner diverted smoothly. "The point is we've forgotten that. Some have said the Spartans are humanity's greatest hope in our war against the Covenant and I would tend to agree though I've not been involved with the program at all..."

"…So are not profiting from it," the interviewer interjected, regaining her composure.

"Correct."

"So then why speak about this, especially after you were cleared by the tribunal?" Caitlyn asked.

Spanner took a deep breath and rather than look into the camera like his media advisor would want he fixed the host with an intense look. "For the past few years we've been in the fight for our lives, no, for our very existence. We're facing an aggressor in the Covenant unlike any we've ever faced before and that has forced us into a posture of singular focus."

The billionaire industrialist paused and looked around slowly, like he was in his own realm of contemplation before continuing to speak.

"They glass worlds without mercy, they resist any attempts at discussion or negotiations. Theirs is a holy war of extinction and so we need to fight with everything we have but we also need to be careful because we can lose something far more precious than our lives."

"What would that be?" the woman asked almost breathlessly.

"Our humanity," Spanner responded. "We can become so afraid of death and destruction that in our fear we can lose something within our control- how we wage this war and how we justify the things we've done." Spanner paused again and looked down for just a moment, collecting his thoughts. "I've made billions off of war and part of me hates myself for doing it. But recently I thought I'd lost the most important thing to me and it was only then I realized that everything I had was nothing, it was dust blowing in the wind. Fortunately, I received another chance and that has got me thinking and has led to this point."

"So then how would we balance the two?" the journalist pressed.

"Great question," the changed man said. "The war fighting part we're doing to the best of our abilities and we're developing new weapons and ways to fight back as we speak. In some ways that's the easy part though. We also need to remember these tremendous men and woman fighting for our survival in the Spartan program are just that: men and women, not machines. They have pasts, they have hopes and dreams just like you and I do. While they may be supersoldiers and key to our survival that doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated with dignity respect and basic rights."

"You make a very good point, Spanner," the woman conceded. "But part of the problem I think is their program is so secretive. We know nothing about them other than what they do. We don't know their names or backgrounds, nothing. So, it becomes easier to think of them as just another piece of machinery necessary for the war."

"That's true, and is an excellent point. But does that make it right?" Spanner challenged.

"No, it's doesn't," Caitlyn conceded, pushing a stray lock of blonde hair away from her face. "If we knew more about them, then that might help to raise awareness." The reporter smelled a scoop coming. "What can you tell us about the Spartans? A man in your position must know."

"I know very little," Spanner lied knowing he was on thin ice already, "and honestly, you probably know as much as I do. We've all heard about Master Chief. The stories coming out of Reach about Noble Team are already legendary and now we have a new team, the Wolf Pack, who did some incredible things on Mars. I'm here because people know my name, they know what I do, so I'm taking advantage of that platform to try to build something rather than sell things that destroy."

"Some would say you've lost your edge," Caitlyn said with a chuckle.

"No, I'm not going soft," Spanner countered, showing a quiet confidence, "I just want us to remember in our zeal to win we don't forget about basic human rights and ensure proper treatment for all our troops in the UNSC, that includes Spartans."

Ruth Charet watched the live feed in her office, a cup of coffee sat undrunk on her plain desk as the woman was mesmerized by the broadcast. Spanner Misriah went on to make a plea of support for the Spartans and to remember that they aren't robots but are people with feelings and rights. The Secretary-General of the United Nations thought again about her meeting with the billionaire industrialist as she unconsciously adjusted her wire glasses. As she listened to the interview beginning to wrap up her quick mind began to think back to what the UN had accomplished over the last several decades and in a way, it embarrassed her. They spent so much time on procedures and pronouncements. The place lived by committee and there was no real or tangible output to the bureaucratic behemoth. But then how could there be? Everything of substance was taken up by the UEG. The Unified Earth Government ran the UNSC and the UN was just a sub-branch. They had no purpose or opportunity.

Or maybe they did.

Charet readjusted her glasses and picked up her comm link. "Ms. Tsu," she called to her executive assistant, "can you arrange a video call with me and the head of the Office of Naval Intelligence, Admiral Margaret Parangosky, please?

It was time for the UN to become relevant again by looking into the issue of the treatment of Spartans.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**November 22, 2552, 0900hrs, HIGHCOM Facility Bravo Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

Twice already Ruth Charet, the Director General of the United Nations, had tried to speak to the commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence and twice she'd been rebuffed. That irritated the bureaucrat who was used to getting her way but she was persistent and would eventually get through. No one could stonewall the UN for long and if necessary she had contacts at the UNSC she could call upon. Bottom line for the intelligent woman was that if ONI wouldn't talk to her there was more to this story than she'd initially thought.

"What do I do with the woman from the UN?" Captain Serin Osman asked Admiral Margaret Parangosky. "She said she's going to call back again shortly and won't be put off."

The cagey head of ONI put up her hand to quiet her aide as she watched a replay of Spanner Misriah's interview. The scheming woman's face was a mask of granite as she impassively took in the content of the influential man's call for more humane treatment of the Spartans. Though outwardly unemotional inwardly she seethed with anger at the presumption of the man who knew better. Once again, she cursed Colonel James Ackerson and his getting to Spartan Mike-B312, before she could. If she'd been able to acquire the now famous Lone Wolf for her own plans and kept him out of the hands of the Misriah's she was certain this would not be happening. Nothing had come to roost on the doorstep of the Office of Naval Intelligence as of yet but the scheming woman knew it was only a matter of time especially now the Director General of the UN was calling. This was no coincidence but likely related to what she was watching.

"I'll talk to this woman when I'm ready, Serin," Parangosky replied imperiously. "Our bigger problem right now is Spanner Misriah."

"Should we make him disappear?" Captain Osman asked in exasperation, breaking her train of thought. "Or arrange an accident perhaps?"

Margaret Parangosky thought through the various scenarios patiently allowing an uncomfortable silence to fill her opulent office measuring the sincerity of her aide and proteges question.

"No, that could prove to be problematic," the calculating officer stated. "His death or absence would likely cause an interruption to output from his businesses at a time humanity can't afford it. He's made himself damn near irreplaceable in his business," Parangosky declared with a reluctant admiration. "Besides, his security detail is very good with multiple layers of response, all staffed by ex-special operations soldiers," she stated showing the thought had already been considered. "His security is probably as good as mine. No, the risk is too great."

"How can that be?" Osman responded in surprise. "He's a civilian."

"Money is power and buys protection," the admiral responded, noting with irritation the naivete of her protégé.

"So we're just going to sit back and let the wolves show up at our door?" Osman asked with a note of bitterness.

"Hardly, my dear Serin. We can still turn this to our advantage," the admiral answered serenely though a wicked grin began to build on her lined face. "Call for Jun, I want to see him this morning. And you get in touch with that little weasel of a man who agreed to 'help' us with Misriah. It's time to see if he'll deliver on his promise of assistance. Then schedule the United Nations for tomorrow, I'm far too 'busy' today to speak but would be happy to render any assistance they require tomorrow morning when I have what I want."

Serin Osman left her commander shaking her head anew not only at the confidence but also audacity of the woman she worked for.

Later that morning, dressed in non-descript civilian clothing Serin Osman again met with MacKenzie Wainwright, this time in an unremarkable restaurant in the working-class section of the sprawling city.

"What do you want?" the handsome executive asked aggressively yet his posture showed a degree of unease.

"We are interested in taking you up on your generous offer of being a conduit of information about your employer," the ONI captain stated smoothly.

The man looked around the room nervously than swallowed hard.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Wainwright," Osman asked.

"No, it's just…well," he stammered, "I'm not sure of this anymore. There's a lot of risk to me. What are you willing to offer me in return for information?" the man pressed.

Osman snorted, showing how unimpressed she was with the man in the expensive, tailored suit.

"How about our silence?" Osman stated more than asked.

"Excuse me?"

The captain deftly took a data pad out of the brown leather satchel she wore and slid it across the table. In response the executive from Misriah Armory looked confused by the action.

Osman sighed dramatically. "It's unfortunate Mr. Wainwright your insight doesn't match your looks." She hit a button and a video capture of their last meeting where he'd offered to betray the Misriah's was repeated for him.

"You recorded our conversation?" MacKenzie asked, in a state of shock.

Osman merely smirked in return.

The man knew he was trapped. Placing his hands over his face he rubbed his temples, suddenly aware of how tired he was. "Fine. What would you have me do?"

"There, see, that wasn't so hard, was it, Mr. Wainwright?" Osman replied, not seeking to hide her contempt for the man. "We'd like to have access to the latest weapon systems your company is working on."

"But that's classified and really hard to get to," the executive whined. "Everything is key-coded and access recorded."

"We know you have the necessary clearances and opportunities, we checked," Osman replied easily.

"I could get caught."

"Then you'll need to be careful, won't you?"

"Anything else?" MacKenzie asked, knowing there would be more.

"Not really, nothing barely worth mentioning, just anything Spanner Misriah is working on in terms of the Spartan program and also any correspondence between him and dear Natalia."

"But those are personal communications and files!" the man pushed back.

Osman raised an eyebrow showing she was amused by the conversation. "Of which we also know you have access as part of Spanner's inner sanctum."

"I'm not really in either of their favors these days," MacKenzie declared with a forlorn look.

"Hence the reason you're here," Osman shot back. "Yet, do you really have a choice?"

"Fine," MacKenzie Wainwright responded glumly, knowing the answer to the question.

**November 22, 2552, ****0745hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

The Spartans of the Wolf Pack did the best they could to find rest sitting in the troop bay of the Pelican they travelled back to New York City in. None had liked being pulled out of the fight for Cleveland though the fact the Covenant had been withdrawing from the city make it a bit easier. But orders were orders.

What was most annoying to the supersoldiers was they should have been back in the city already and gotten some proper rest and downtime before being sent to Africa for their next assignment. Unfortunately flying over Pennsylvania their transport had developed mechanical problems and they were forced to wait nearly four hours for the ship to be repaired and get back in the air. The result was it had been a restless night. Now on approach to the city's military base and with the sun coming up most were edgy and not rested.

While none of this was lost on Melanie-B252 she pushed the fatigue and irritation aside. She'd enjoyed here time at 2ic of the Wolf Pack and had worked well with the teen Spartans. It had been an unusual experience for the Recon Spartan who was used to working on her own. Yes, she'd done some missions with the team on Mars but this was the first time she'd ever been in this kind of chain of command. She'd also been able to work closely with Mike which she liked as well. And now they were being sent away and what would happen to her? Her next assignment was of no consequence, she'd had hundreds and was numb to the things she'd been asked to do. But the idea of not seeing Mike again bothered her. The deep-thinking woman's emotions were still out of balance and being this close to the man she'd known longer than anyone else was still not sitting right. What DID she feel? She couldn't put her finger on it and that bothered the woman who'd been used to being in control. She had been locked and loaded emotionally for years. Since….

Since Onyx.

Since she was a little girl who'd been brought to Camp Currahee after her parents had been killed. Scared and confused, she'd been an easy target for some of the more aggressive children in the Spartan III program. The already heartbroken little girl was filled with a dark despair and desire to die all until a boy in her platoon named Mike Nantz had stood up for her, beating up two of the other recruits effectively ending the bullying and she'd loved him for it.

There it was!

As if a piece of precious art had been brought out from lockup for display it came to her. She'd loved him for what he'd done and as she got to know the boy who grew into a young man over the course of their years of training that love had only grown. She'd started calling him 'Michael' which he didn't really like but indulged since he seemed to have feelings for here too. She called him that to set her apart from the others. To them he was 'Mike', just another trainee but to her, he was 'Michael', unique and special.

Melanie chided herself for forgetting, but how could she not? Thinking he was first dead, then later inaccessible, with her thrust into the torturous world of fighting alone her mind protected her heart and she soldiered on.

But now what?

The woman had a strongly developed tactical mind and knew they may be minutes away from being separated perhaps again forever and she needed to level with him. Seeing him looking at her as she mused, she gave a hand signal to go to private comms. The Lone Wolf put his helmet on as she did too so they could talk privately.

"What's up?" Mike asked.

"I've been thinking the last little while," Melanie said, suddenly nervous which was a bit confusing for her.

"About what?" Mike asked, curiosity piqued at the unexpected question as they were about to land

"About you," the woman confessed.

"Okay, so what have you been thinking about me?" the still troubled man returned, wary of where the conversation might go.

Melanie took a deep breath, she knew time was running out and they'd land in several minutes, already the rest of the team was starting to stir in anticipation of disembarking. "I'm sorry about Mandy getting killed. Honestly, I found her annoying but I wasn't sensitive to your feelings and I should have been. I was wrong about that," she confessed.

"Thanks, I appreciate that, but why did she annoy you?" Mike asked, figuring he was beginning to know the answer but didn't want to assume anything.

"Because she was so obviously interested in you and was so obviously good at showing it," the now conflicted woman confessed

Mike paused and weighed his words, processing what his friend of so many years was saying. "I haven't forgotten our conversation on Mars right before the Covenant invaded. We never really did get a chance to finish it, did we?"

"No, we didn't."

The conflicted Spartan looked intently into the shield of her helmet and he could see in his mind every detail of her face. He thought to how well they'd worked together and how much he'd enjoyed having her come back into his life. If only there were no other complications. "But I'm with Natalia…,": he stammered, confusion building.

"I'm not saying anything against Natalia, honestly, she's all right," Melanie implored, "I just want you to be clear that you have options."

Thanks, Mel," Mike answered carefully, not sure he wanted to be going down this path. "It's just, honestly, pretty confusing at times."

"It's easier killing Covenant," Melanie countered, with a chuckle.

"Exactly."

Mike looked at the woman and realized suddenly she did understand and that registered with him. He looked at his oldest friend and realized anew just how attractive she really was. Then he remembered how she'd yelled right before Mandy had been killed by the Jackal sniper. It still caused his emotions to well up but he had to address his feelings about it as well.

"Mel, when Mandy was killed by that sniper you yelled out right before. What was up with that?" Mike asked, remembering vividly the scene and also what had happened.

The confident woman's face turned red under helmet. She was happy Mike couldn't see it as her heartbeat began to increase. "I... I mean…," the usually confident woman stammered.

"Mel?" Mike asked in confusion, unsure what to say.

"Listen, I was jealous okay. It's bad enough you have Misriah but then this chick starts popping up on campaign," Melanie confessed, staring at the deck of the Pelican, "and it just really bugged me. Then she gets killed and I felt…I feel…just sick about it."

"Why? You never liked her."

"Because it hurts you Michael and that hurts me." Unable to continue the awkward conversation Melanie got up and walked towards the front of the Pelican and the rest of team starting to stand up in anticipation of the ramp going down as they landed.

"Mel, wait!" Mike called out but she wouldn't listen and he decided to give her space, his mind reeling at the reality of her confession. "Now what?" he said to himself as the Pelican made a feather-soft landing and the rear ramp began to come down. The conflicted man cursed at himself for getting into this position. He liked the way he felt around Natalia and genuinely loved her but there were times it was just too frustrating and they were too far apart. He had feelings for Melanie, deep ones, but he'd not had the chance to explore them. There hadn't been the opportunity but he also had to confess he was scared to go down that path for fear of where it might take him. The environmental control system on his armor kicked in to balance temperature as his heartrate rose and he began to sweat. Emotions were pilling on top of emotions. He was still processing the deaths of Noble Team, now Mandy, he was still processing being thrust into leadership and the responsibility for a talented but inexperienced team, and now he was becoming a symbol of hope for the war. This was too complicated for the simple man and he longed in many ways for the simplicity of being the Lone Wolf as he felt pressure mount. But that would have to wait, he was at maximum processing capability, actually well past the limit and he needed to get off the aircraft.

As the Pelican landed at the New York military base and the ramp dropped Mike could see Colonel Holland waiting for them. The Special Operations commander wore crisp black BDUs and a pair of aviator sunglasses to shield his eyes from the morning sun rising in the east masking his tone but his stance with hands on hips showed he meant to get down to business.

Mike led his team off the troop transport as its engines began to cool down and Holland came striding over meeting them halfway.

"Hellova job out there, Wolf Pack, congratulations," Holland declared to the delight of the team, shaking Mike's hand. "Mike, get your team squared away. Get your wounded tended to, get to the armorer and get out of that gear. Grab some chow. The rest of you relax. Then commander meet me in the Ops shack in thirty minutes. You're back in the air to Africa at 0500 tomorrow. Sorry I can't give you more rest, you've earned it, but necessity is dictating pace here."

"Yes sir," Mike responded snapping up a crisp salute. He'd hoped for more time but that was the life of a Spartan. "All right Wolf Pack, you heard the man, let's get it done."

The next thirty minutes flew by. Mike wanted to see Natalia or at least talk to her but there wasn't time and while he knew they were going to be in New York a short time before shipping out again he was confident there was enough time to get things back on track. The idea buoyed him as he went about the necessities before meeting with the Special Ops CO. One task though was he visited the infirmary to see Adam but when he arrived was pleasantly surprised to find out he'd been released and cleared for duty. Though disappointed to miss his team member he was encouraged by the news. So there was a spring in his step when he walked into the operations building to meet with Colonel Holland.

Entering the designated meeting room Mike had the double surprise, and shock, that not only was Adam standing there next to Colonel Holland but so was Gunnery Sergeant MacGregor.

"Adam! Gunny!" Mike exclaimed, spontaneously rushing over to embrace the teen Spartan then clasp hands with the ODST NCO.

"Hi, sir," Adam beamed, his dark blue eyes sparkling with excitement.  
"Good to see you, sir," MacGregor added, no hint of the animosity in his Scottish brogue that had been there before the Wolf Pack had left for Cleveland without the ODST.

Colonel Holland stood behind the reunion a happy look on his face giving them an opportunity to get reacquainted then cleared his throat to let them know he wanted to speak. "All right gentlemen, as you know Mike, I'm retasking the Wolf Pack to Africa. Things are going south there and we really need assets like you on the ground. Mission brief, location and logistics will be released to you on route via holo conference. Questions?"

"No sir, seems pretty straight forward," Mike asked not worrying about the details but his heart did beat in anticipation of why the other two were in the room.

"Adam-G040 will rejoin the Wolf Pack as 2ic," Holland reported and Mike could see the teen visibly moved by the declaration, "and Gunny MacGregor and an ODST Wolverine team will accompany you for support. Any questions from you two?"

"No sir," the pair chorused enthusiastically.

"One last thing before I let you go, Mike," Holland said and a strange twinkle filled his expressive eye, "I have authorization and budget allocation to outfit the Wolf Pack with Mjolnir Mark V armor variated for each of your team assignment."

Mike was stunned by the declaration. "You're putting them in Mjolnir?" He couldn't believe his team was getting the better but exponentially more expensive armor.

"Yes son," Holland responded with a chuckle. "They've damn sure earned it. I had a bit of a fight with the pencil pushers about it but...well, your body count makes for a pretty compelling argument," the command officer chuckled. "Oh, and you're getting a new suit, son," he said to Mike. "Yours looks like it's held together with baling twine. You're getting upgraded to the new Mark VI variant. Once we're done here take your team to the armor bay and get them kitted out. They'll be expecting you. Now as you know there's a period of adjustment to Mjolnir which I can't unfortunately give so get the interfaces up and then put them through their paces today. Get them up to speed as best you can since you're out of here tomorrow morning. The rest will have to be OJT."

"No problem, sir, they'll adjust fast," Mike responded enthusiastically, "there'll pick it up on the job." _They're no longer expendable soldiers_, he thought to himself, feeling a bit choked up. He wasn't sure how he felt about giving up his own suit though. While the change made sense, he'd had a lot of experiences in his old Mark Vb. Combat with Noble Team, his freefall from space after Jorge had sacrificed himself, Natalia…. He wasn't one to be nostalgic but there was legacy in his suit. Still, the new one would be an improvement.

"Okay, unless there's anything more I'll leave you three to get reacquainted and I'll reconnect with you this afternoon. Great job in Cleveland, by the way. The commanders on the ground are already raving about what you did. Well done." Holland turned and walked out, the three snapping off salutes in his wake.

"We're getting Mjolnir?" Adam burst out when the Special Ops commander cleared the door. "That's so crazy! Wait until the rest of the team hears this."

"Yes, it's a game-changer," Mike answered, his tactical mind already thinking about how this would alter their combat strategies. "I'll let you tell them."

"Me? Really? Thanks, sir," Adam gushed.

"Well that's good news for the wee bairns, to be sure," MacGregor interjected happily, "though why anyone would want to go around in a clunky tin can is beyond me," he deadpanned.

"Good to see you again, Hank," Mike stated genuinely, patting him on the back and it was then he noticed the Helljumper sported a new prosthetic hand.

"And you too, Mike," the senior NCO added genuinely and with familiarity. "I see you noticed this…I feel like a new man." Then the volatile gunnery sergeant became quiet and serious. "Listen, sir, about how I acted…. what I said, before you left. I…I…," he stammered.

"Don't worry about it, Hank," Mike cut him off to spare the proud man his embarrassment. "I'd have done the same thing in your shoes. But how did all this come about? I thought you guys were going to be broken up."

"Colonel Holland got us squared away and up to strength again. Pulled a few strings and stepped on a few toes. Ach, he's a good one, I have to confess," the Scotsman declared in his thick brogue, "for an officer," he added with a wink.

"That's outstanding, gunny," Mike responded, happy for more good news. "So, what's the chain of command?"

"We're tasked as adjunct to you, just like on Mars so you are in overall operational command. Captain McLynn will be OC of Wolverines," MacGregor reported.

"Outstanding," Mike responded, an actual smile breaking out on his face. He knew the officer from their training on Mars before the Covenant invasion. "Good officer, we'll work well together."

"Aye, it'll be like old times," the seasoned NCO slapped Mike on the back. "What are your orders, sir?"

Mike felt a growing contentment that had been absent for some time as he looked affectionately at the pair, realizing just how important it was to be part of something rather than be on his own. For so long he'd fought and lived alone and while it hurt to watch those you cared about get killed or wounded the upside was more than worth it.

"All right," Mike began, snapping back into efficiency mode, "you meet the rest of the team and bring them up to speed. You're all to meet me in the armory in one hour. I'll meet you there since I want to set up a few simulations and light training so we use our time well. Gunny, you and I will go over load-out for your team but I'll also connect with Captain McLynn. Listen guys, we're on the clock and times ticking but the rest of the team has been through a lot and with minimal downtime. So while we're going to work hard to be ready, I'd also want them to have a chance to catch their breath. So I'm going to give them as much time as possible."

"Got you, sir," MacGregor responded, nodding his head in understanding. "I'll carry the ball as much as I can to give the bairns some down time."

"And I'll take care of all the logistical matters and be sure everything we need is good to go," Adam added, excited to be doing something of use finally.

"Good, I knew I count on you both," Mike said, a genuine affection and appreciation evident which made the pair beam. "Okay, let's get to it."

As the trio split up he knew it wouldn't take him an hour to set things up with the armorer. He wanted Adam to have some time to reconnect with the team but he also had another objective. He wanted to talk to Natalia. As he fished his communication device out of a utility pocket in the BDUs he wore the thought also occurred to him that Colonel Holland had made no mention of Melanie and what was happening with her. He was happy Adam was back as 2ic but Mel had also contributed to the team and it didn't sit right with him her being in limbo. Still, after her declaration of feelings towards him Mike also wasn't entirely comfortable with how he was feeling towards his friend from Onyx especially with things strained anew with Natalia. Perhaps when he cleared the air that would make things easier.

The Lone Wolf's hand actually had a bit of a tremble as he pushed the icon to connect with her, rehearsing what he was going to say and excitement growing at hearing her voice.

Yet he couldn't connect.

Frustrated, Mike tried again and got the same response. Checking her status, he found she was not within the service radius. "What's going on?" he said to himself, excitement quickly changing to frustration. Moving to another screen he checked Natalia's status and found she was currently in Sydney, Australia. "Great!" he slammed his hand into his leg in frustration. "That's just great." Yet another complication to their relationship. He'd have to wait until later to talk to her since this would now take more work. His frustration grew when he began to wonder why she hadn't let him know but then he reminded himself he'd been in combat and was likely not wanting to be a burden. The pair just couldn't seem to get a break.

In the barracks block the scene there was much happier than the Lone Wolf marching sullenly to the armory. When Adam walked into the team area the Wolf Pack had been assigned for the day the scene was one of spontaneous joy. When he told them he'd been cleared for duty and was coming back with the team there was a genuine excitement even from Matt that they'd been reunited. Even the usually aloof Alissa had declared it good 'the family was back together'. In the excitement of the moment, and even before Adam told them they were being fitted for new armor, no one noticed Melanie slip out of the room and leave.

As the Spartans of the Wolf Pack dealt with their own emotions in another part of New York City another reconnection of sorts was about to happen.

"Sir," the Smart AI Niccolo interrupted Spanner Misriah who was in the middle of a conference call dealing with weekly industrial production numbers.

"Yes, what is it?" Spanner put the holo on mute without irritation. The industrialist noted anew the change in his attitude. In the past an interruption, even from his Smart AI who knew not to disturb unless it was important, would have spiked his anger, but no longer. Truly he was growing as a new man.

"I thought you'd be interested in knowing that Spartan Mike-B312 has just now returned to New York," Niccolo reported. "His team is scheduled to depart tomorrow at 0500 hours."

"Thank you, that is important information indeed," the head of Misriah Armory responded, happy for the news he'd been anticipating. There was much to discuss.

"Ms. Compton," Spanner called his assistant, "call up my car. I'm going to the base." He'd need to cut the production call short as this was of a more urgent nature.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**November 22, 2552, ****0920hrs, New York Military Facility, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"I have some other news for you," Adam added with a twinkle in his eye, as the Wolf Pack continued to celebrate their reunion in the team area of the temporary barracks they'd been assigned to.

"Oh yea, what's that?" Alissa caught the look and moved closer to the team's 2ic, causing the others to follow suit.

Adam paused for dramatic effect then stated, "We're being issued Mjolnir armor."

"What?" the sniper exploded in surprised delight.

"You're kidding me, right?" Matt joined in.

"I don't believe it," Maia was incredulous, eyes going wide.

"That means…," Terrell couldn't even say it.

"That we're no longer expendable soldiers," Adam confirmed, a wide grin lighting up his expressive face.

"But Mjolnir…," Terrell stammered.

"Is the real deal," Adam confirmed, "and that means we're valuable."

"How did this happen?" Maia asked, still processing the stunning news.

"It was Colonel Holland. He went to bat for us and got authorization. We're to get fitted this morning and spend the rest of the day getting used to it before we head to Africa," Adam reported.

"I never thought…," Matt was stammering now, "I mean…this is big time. This puts us right up with…"

"The II's and Noble Team," Maia answered quietly.

Alissa moved away from the group as they excitedly babbled on about the surprising development and turned to face the wall. Though her posture gave the impression she was in thought in reality the temperamental sniper didn't want the rest of her team, her family, to see tears filling her eyes and now running down her cheek. For years she'd had a fatalistic sense of inevitability, the inevitability of her death and the futility of her life. She'd found family and new hope with the Wolf Pack but the sense that this was only temporary had continued to haunt her. Now the UNSC was going to put them into a piece of equipment that cost as much as a ship. It said something about them, it said something about her. That they, and she in particular, had value. Her heart fluttered and her stomach gripped as she tried to keep from sobbing. Though no longer embarrassed that her teammates would see the display of emotion this was a special moment for her. Like the first light of dawn a new hope began to fill the troubled teen and she started to see she had more to life, and more value, than killing Covenant. Though what that was eluded her it didn't matter. There was another path available. Tears staining her face she turned back to her team, her family, with a smile on her face none had ever seen.

Adam, as did the others, saw the look of Alissa's face and marveled at it. While it confused the others, the quiet teen gave his teammate a nod that he knew what she was thinking. He too had been given a new lease on life. The introspective blond-haired teen had lay in the infirmary and thought it was over, especially when Melanie took his place. He knew he didn't have the experience or charisma of the Recon Spartan and so had thought that when the team came back he'd be forgotten. That thought had eaten away at him and hurt worse than his dreams about the Brutes killing his family. Yet when he'd told them he was back and in his old role as 2ic there had been no hesitation. The outpouring of joy from his teammates had brought tears to his eyes as well. The others had experienced things in Cleveland he hadn't and yet it didn't seem to make any difference, they were back together and already looking forward to the next bound on their journey. They were a family and this was the legacy they were building one day and one experience at a time.

It was unexpectedly Matt who brought all their feelings together when he grabbed Terrell and Alissa, then drew in Maia and even reached Adam into a big bear hug, pulling them all in. The others spontaneously joined in the embrace and there they stood as one.

Matt, his own voice choking with emotion, called out, "Watch out Africa, here comes the Wolf Pack!"

The wolf howl in response was heard clear outside the barracks block.

Heading towards Operations Mike's communication's device went off and his heart soared thinking it was Natalia until he checked and didn't recognize the number. He initially thought to ignore it but something inside of him told him to pick up.

"Commander Mike-B312," he answered.

"Mike, it's Spanner Misriah. I'm on the base and would like to meet with you if you're available," the industrialist asked politely.

Mike was shocked by not only the caller but the request. "Uh, sure," he answered awkwardly. I'm actually in between meetings so that would be great. Where are you right now?"

"Outstanding!" Spanner responded. "I'm sending my location now. See you shortly."

With a light _ping_ a waypoint popped up on Mike's device and he began to head to the meeting.

A few minutes later the pair were shaking hands under the watchful eye of the powerful industrialist's close protection detail and more than a few curious onlookers who observed the scene.

Seeing that Mike looked awkward at the situation Spanner said, "Why don't we go someplace out of the spotlight to talk?"

Mike seemed to perk up at the suggestion though still a bit wary but still let the entourage into a nearby building and to a vacant lecture room.

"It's good to see you, Mike," Spanner tried to break the ice.

"You too, sir," Mike responded, obviously still not certain of the nature of the visit.

"How did Cleveland go?" the industrialist asked, trying to make small talk, a skill he didn't really possess.

"Fine, we were able to retake it from the Covenant," Mike answered without emotion.

"That's great to hear."

"How did you know I was back in New York?" Mike asked, shifting the conversation.

Spanner Misriah had a moment of truth with the Spartan he barely knew and decided in an instant to be truthful since he could see the man watching him carefully. "When you're the head of the largest arms producer in the UNSC that allows for certain perks. I've been interested in you since you first came to New York and so when I heard you were back I wanted to connect."

Mike thought about it a moment. "That makes sense."

Spanner paused to consider an idea and decided to share it. "I've also decided to take a greater interest in your well-being and all the Spartans."

"Because of my connection to Natalia?" Mike asked.

"That might have been the initial reason, I confess, but its progressed past that," her father admitted.

"Then why?" Mike's curiosity was piqued.

"Because you and your colleagues in the Spartan II and III programs while being critical to our war effort also should have the rights and privileges our other soldiers, sailors and aircrew in the UNSC have."

"But we were created for this role, this is our purpose," Mike responded.

"True, but that doesn't mean you're not human being with basic human rights," Spanner countered, passion rising.

Mike had never thought about it that way. It just was what it was. Yet he also thought back to the way the Spartans were used, things like Operation Torpedo and other such roles and began to not only see, but appreciate, the interest. "Well then, thank you, I appreciate your interest, for what it's worth."

"You're welcome, and we'll see what comes of it," Spanner responded, noting the somewhat forlorn tone.

"Speaking of Natalia," Mike changed the subject since time was moving on, "Do you know what's going on with her? Her status has her in Australia and I can't contact her."

"Yes, I do," the man's features suddenly became clouded. "She was recalled to ONI headquarters in Sydney on very short notice. She wanted to let you know but also didn't want to distract you while you were in a combat situation."

"So, then you saw her before she left?" Mike asked, mind turning.

"Yes, I was with her until she left and in fact drove her to transport," Spanner answered.

"What kind of state was she in?" Mike asked, fearing somewhat the answer.

Spanner seemed to measure the supersoldier's question before answering. "Not great. She's been having nightmares about Mars. She also didn't want to go back there and wanted to see you again. Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. Things were a bit tense between us when I left for Cleveland. You likely already know we're shipping out for Africa on a short turnaround so I was hoping to clear the air," Mike answered, frustration evident in his voice.

"I think I can help the two of you connect," Spanner declared, pulling out his communication device.

"I appreciate the offer but I already tried, she's off line."

"I have some tools available to me that you don't" Spanner said with a chuckle, starting to punch in a series of numbers.

"Rank has its privilege," Mike answered, without malice.

"Indeed," the billionaire industrialist answered, handing him the device and walking away so the pair would have some privacy.

Mike took the offered instrument and put it up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Mike!" Natalia's voice exploded in delight. "What are you doing on my father's channel?"

"Tali? I'm in New York with your father's device. I tried to get ahold of you but you were off-line."

"Yes, I'm working at the Hive so comms are blocked, other than for certain people," she added, her heart starting to pound as she thought of their last conversation and not wanting to blow it. She'd had another night mare the previous evening so had come to work in a foul mood. "When did you get back from Cleveland?"

"Earlier this morning and we're shipping out again for Africa first thing tomorrow," the Spartan said, trying to figure how to move the conversation to where he wanted.

"You did great work in Cleveland, I was following the feeds and reading the reports," the woman tried to be encouraging.

"Yea, I guess you have access to that kind of stuff, don't you?" Mike stated with an edge to his voice.

"I'd rather be in New York with you right now than here," the perceptive woman responded, catching his tone. "They don't have me doing anything of value but I do have access to info from the field so of course I'm going to follow what you're doing, I love you," she tried to explain.

"Oh, that make's sense," Mike responded, realizing what he must have sounded like and chiding himself. "Sorry, I'm just a bit tense. We have a short turnaround before we deploy again and I was hoping to see you."

"No, I'm the one who should be saying sorry," Natalia countered. "I was the one who created the tension in the first place before you left. I was selfish and hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I can," Mike answered, glad this was out in the open but something still was eating away at him so thought to clear the air. "Listen, Tali, I need to ask you something."

"Okay, sure, ask me anything," she tensed, knowing from his tone it wasn't going to be good.

"When I was in Cleveland someone showed me a holo of you out with some other guy," Mike shared trying hard to keep the emotion out of his voice but failing. "What was up with that?"

"That was nothing," Natalia shot back quickly. "That was MacKenzie and I was telling him in no uncertain terms that we were finished. I hadn't talked to him before Mars so needed to let him know. There's no one else in my life, Mike," she declared definitively. Though her voice was calm inside she was livid that someone had shared that with him and figured it was probably the attractive female Spartan who'd replaced Adam as 2ic.

"Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it," Mike answered genuinely. He believed her declaration but then guilt began to well up as he thought about her declaration there was no one else in her life but him. Could he say the same thing? He knew the answer was no and a well of bile built up in the pit of stomach. How had a man who knew nothing about woman and been a loner for years find himself in this position where he was now torn? It didn't make sense and he didn't have a clue of what to do about it.

"Mike?" Natalia interjected, cutting off his train of thought. "Are you still there?"

"Huh?" Mike said in response, embarrassed by the dead air he'd allowed.

"I said, 'are you still there'?" the woman asked anew, trying to hide the irritation in her voice.

"Yea, sorry, I just kind of blanked out for a minute there," Mike lied, feeling guilt over that as well. This wasn't turning out to be a great reunion.

The pair chatted awkwardly for the next little while but no spark of renewal was lit in their relationship. The pair ended the call unsatisfied but with a pledge to talk again before the Wolf Pack shipped out for Africa. On Mike's part he could tell she was struggling and hadn't been sleeping well but he couldn't bring her out of it. From Natalia's perspective she knew something was on his mind but didn't have the energy to draw it out or light the fire the pair seemed to be losing. Both finished more confused than before they'd begun the conversation.

Spanner Misriah chatted with Mike briefly after their conversation and could tell things had not gone well in the call with Natalia which bothered him. The powerful industrialists first instinct had been to ask Niccolo to replay the conversation for him so he could find out what was going on but then was horrified at how quickly he could revert back to his old, manipulating self. No, he would respect their privacy but still, as a father, he could help. He grabbed his communications device and was about to call his daughter when it went off with an incoming call which caught him off guard since few had access to his private number.

It was Admiral Hood.

"Good morning Terrence," Spanner greeted the senior commander in the UNSC. "Twice in a week, this is a rare treat."

Hood snorted derisively. "Some treat. You really couldn't leave this alone, could you? First the UN and now a talk show?"

"So I'm being monitored, am I?" Spanner shot back, getting his back up at the implication of the statement.

"And I told you that you can't go around talking openly about classified operations," Hood shot back.

"And I told them nothing," the billionaire industrialist countered. "I said nothing about any operations, I talked about people."

You told them enough," Hood countered.

"I gave no information Terrence, you know that. I only brought them into the light."

"That's enough!"

"So what?" Spanner countered. "We leave them there so they can be abused and sent off on suicide missions?"

"Spanner, you don't understand…," Hood tried to move to a more diplomatic posture but was cut off.

"Cut the crap! You know damn well I do," Spanner interjected passionately. "We are playing fast and loose with not only morality here but the rules of war. You can get all pragmatic on me or we can be honest here."

"And what would that look like?" Hood knew he couldn't push or bully the aggressive businessman so decided to try to work with him.

"It would mean we figure out another way to achieve the success the Spartans are able to deliver for us without the loss of our humanity and their human rights," the head of Misriah Armory declared reasonably.

Hood paused and thought for a moment. "You raise a good point Spanner, honestly, and something we as command need to think about." The Fleet Admiral wondered if the man was actually raising a point that should be considered. For years he'd been an admirer of the Spartans, especially John-117, but was there more to this than he'd considered?

"So you're not going to send a black ops team to take me out?" Spanner asked, trying to lighten the tone.

Hood harrumphed, "I'M not going to," he emphasized. Then the grizzled veteran chuckled and shook his head. "Just when I think I got you all figured out Spanner you go and throw me another curve ball."

"You and I are alike, Terrence," Spanner said, appreciating that the officer was in a difficult position. "I want to win this war and I want to use everything we've got but we can't become like the damned Covenant and lose who we are in the process."

"Good point," Hood conceded.

"Listen, honestly, I don't know where I'm going with this. Yes, I'm not unbiased here but I don't think that matters. I'll try not to do anything that will compromise the war effort but I also want to be sure that the Spartans aren't turned into another machine of the war effort."

"That's fair," the Fleet Admiral conceded.

"Thanks, Terrence," Spanner responded genuinely. "I appreciate your willingness to listen."

"Well you take care and I'll see what we can do." Hood ended the transmission and couldn't help but shake his head. He'd known Spanner Misriah for years and had never known him to care about anything other than profit. This Mike-B312 must sure be something special to get that man to change his tune.

As that conversation was wrapping up another cross-global one was unfolding that was going far less co-operatively.

"I don't appreciate being put off like I have been, Admiral Parangosky," Ruth Charet declared.

"Nothing of the sort had happened, Madame Secretary," Parangosky countered politely. "You must understand we are quite busy with the war effort right now."

"Nonetheless, I appreciate you speaking to me, admiral," Charet conceded, knowing also she had no leverage and couldn't push the head of ONI.

"We're here to serve," the admiral purred condescendingly.

"Good, I'd like to discuss the treatment and management of Spartans," the efficient woman got right to the point.

"And what interest would a civilian organization like the United Nations have in a classified military program?" the aggressive woman pushed back.

"Human rights are the jurisdiction of the UN, admiral, I'm sure you're aware of that," Charet shot back, emotions starting to rise at the perceived stonewalling.

"I'm sure you can appreciate there's little I can share about such a highly classified area of the UNSC." Parangosky had already anticipated the intent of the caller but wasn't going to make it easy.

"I'm the secretary-general of the United Nations," Charet declared pointedly, trying not to show she was intimidated by the powerful woman.

"With no military security clearance and no actual jurisdiction here," the admiral countered definitively.

"None the less, I'd still like to discuss ways we can ensure that these soldiers are treated by the same standards as others in the UNSC," the head of the UN tried to be diplomatic.

"The Spartans have been around for years so why the interest in their well-being now, especially in our time of dire need? How is this going to help our war effort to stave off extinction?" Parangosky pushed.

"The state of these soldiers has only become a question of late and so something that has become of interest to the United Nations. The 'when' isn't important, admiral," Charet tried to stay on course, "but now this is of interest to us."

"Yes, Spanner Misriah can make a compelling case," Parangosky shot back.

"Excuse me?" Charet paused to consider the implications of the statement. It seemed the head of ONI knew of their conversation which really was not such a shocking thought.

"Spanner Misriah is very charismatic and I can see how he's able to mobilize interest in something but I'd encourage you to leave this to us and go about the other vital work you do," the head of ONI declared emphatically.

"But…"

"This is not your concern, Madame Secretary," Parangosky cut her off.

"I'm not going to let this slide," Charet declared.

"I'd be very careful of the definitive pronouncements I make, Ruth," the admiral declared definitively her tone changing to deadly serious.

"Is that a threat?" the woman asked, trying not to look nervous on the video call.

"Hardly, it's a statement of reality," Parangosky countered, knowing she'd made her point. "Earth is under attack and the Spartans are critical to its success. You've made a career of cautious moves ever since you left the university. Your family is well-established in school and their careers. You've taken the conventional route to where you are. You don't strike me as the type of woman who would risk all of that over this." Parangosky let the words sink in.

Charet felt a chill go down her spine. Not only did she seem to know about her meeting with Spanner Misriah but the powerful woman had just let her know she knew about her family. Ruth Charet had never dealt with this type of situation and wasn't sure what to do. It was a moment of truth or her. Every fiber in her body was screaming to let it go, it was not her problem and continuing to push would only create problems. But another voice rose up. The voice that spoke for justice and the rights for all no matter the circumstances. Despite being the head of the United Nations the woman was afraid since she'd heard the rumors and whispers about ONI and it's reach but she still had to live with herself and look every day in the mirror. So she was faced with the smart choice or the right choice.

In the end the decision was easy.

"Admiral Parangosky, I see this conversation is going nowhere and I will not be intimidated," Charet felt herself shaking but no longer cared. "I will continue to look into this issue and do what I can to address the human rights of our Spartans with or without the co-operation of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Good day admiral." The woman terminated the call without allowing any response.

"So what are you going to do?" Serin Osman asked, walking towards the admiral's desk. She'd heard the whole conversation being just out of camera range.

"I have to admire the old girl," Parangosky declared. "She's got more guts than I'd thought for a bureaucrat."

"But what if the UN gets involved?" the woman's aide asked with a note of concern.

What are they going to do? The UN is all talk and no action. They're a toothless tiger," the admiral answered correctly, shaking her head at her protégé's naivete. "No, let them bluster away but nothing material is going to change. Still, I am beginning to find Spanner Misriah annoying so let's find something unpleasant for dear Natalia to do."

Margaret Parangosky pushed back into her overstuffed leather chair. It looked like it was shaping up to be an interesting day after all.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**November 22, 2552, ****1105hrs, New York Military Facility, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

Mike stood watching the rest of his team receiving their technical briefing on the Mjolnir Mark V armor with a note of pride. They'd earned the coveted and expensive upgrade through their actions on Mars and then recently in Cleveland. His heart soared that the Wolf Pack was no longer considered expendable soldiers but were key assets.

The Spartan supersoldier was in own new set of armor with Up-Armor plate in the same dark steel color as his own set. He'd only been out of it for a few hours and didn't have to be back in his Mjolnir since it was the others who needed the to be fit and receive the training but he wanted to be like them. Colonel Holland had offered him an upgrade, which he'd initially refused. The Armor Bay sergeant-major had looked with disdain at his battered and charred suit but to him it was home. He was happy that the RECON-class helmet he'd requisitioned before Reach had finally come in and liked the feel and functionality it gave him. But then he thought about moving forward and not living in the past and the decision had become easier. He accepted the new armor.

A technician was delivering the preliminary safety briefing explaining to the team how their neural interfaces were integrated into the mechanics of the power-assisted armor giving them advanced functionality. They were already zoning out Mike could see and though he should tell them to pay attention knew once they were suited up their focus would change. All but Maia were fidgeting excitedly in anticipation of getting at it already receiving a rebuke from the sergeant-major but they couldn't contain themselves, acting like kids on Christmas eve. Mike couldn't blame them though he did think back to Natalia who'd not paid attention to her lectures and had allowed the armor she'd worn to break down. But then she wasn't a Spartan and hadn't been enhanced so her suit had been modified so she could use it. The thoughtful man couldn't imagine how much that likely had cost and remembered his initial resentment of the privileged woman but things had changed. He'd helped her learn to be a soldier, out of self-preservation, and she'd been a capable and eager student. His feelings for her had grown in confused leaps and bounds though she'd fallen for him early on and waited for the feelings to become mutual.

_I do love her_, Mike thought to myself. _I think I've forgotten this with everything going on. I expect her to be perfect when I'm far from it. I keep hiding behind my lack of experience but I'm not really working at it either_, the deep-thinking man chided himself. He looked over at Melanie wearing tight fitting BDU's that accentuated her figure and wondered anew how she'd come out looking so good after augmentation. The Recon Spartan had come to watch the fun of the teenage Spartans trying to figure out the use of the armor which promised to be humorous.

Mike was glad Melanie wasn't coming with them. Yes, her experience had helped him and the team a lot on Mars and then when she'd acted as 2ic to the Wolf Pack in Cleveland but she'd also begun to indicate an interest beyond friendship in him despite the fact she knew about him and Natalia. This only confused the man who couldn't clarify his own feelings for the woman he'd known for years and had thought dead.

_No, it'll be good to get to Africa and get some space from her_, Mike thought to himself pragmatically. _I need to get my head screwed on right with Natalia and I can't do that with Mel on my mind_, he admitted honestly.

The sergeant-major finished his initial briefing and shot Mike an irritated look knowing the man had not been listening. Yet the Lone Wolf had lived in Mjolnir for years. In many ways he was more comfortable in his armor than out of it. Not only did it afford physical protection but also shielded him from a lot of the thoughts and concerns of the world around him.

Until now, he reminded himself.

"All right, time to get at it," the senior NCO called out, "Adam-G040, you're first."

The young blond-haired Spartan with tight curls took the three steps to the metal circle that was the loading platform, his dark blue eyes shining. Stepping in to yellow foot clamps that marked where they needed to stand the metal ring that encircled the platform came to life as Adam held his arms out. A series of computer-guided appendages began to bring the various pieces of the Mjolnir armor via a conveyor belt behind the ring. Out of the appendages a series of robotic arms with screw guns in them began to attach the plating to the thick, black, armored titanium nanocomposite bodysuit he wore. The rest of the team stood eagerly waiting for their turn clad in the same gel-filled base layer.

Both Matt and Terrell let out audible oohs and aahs as the machine efficiently assembled the famous Mjolnir armor system. Alissa took it all in with a massive grin on her confident china white face while Maia's brown eyes took it all in. For each of the teenage Spartans the prospect of deploying to Africa held different thoughts. While Adam was distracted by getting armored up, he was also very nervous about stepping back into the second-in-command role after Melanie had held it. He was still in many ways out of his element in command and wondered how the others would see him matching up. Both Terrell and Matt were feeling the effects of their wounds in the last major battle in Cleveland. While Matt allowed his chemically enhanced brain to draw energy from the lingering pain Terrell was struggling with confidence never having been hurt like that before. Alissa thought of her father, who'd been killed in the Battle of Actium while serving with the 53rd Armor Brigade, and how proud he'd be of her. Everything had changed the day she got the message that he'd died and she'd been keeping a kill list ever since yet the tally never seemed to compensate for the pain of loss. The aggressive sniper had thought a pile of dead Covenant would fill the hole in her heart but it didn't come close. Only when she thought of her teammates on the Wolf Pack did the pain of loss go away. For Maia, she looked forward to the physically imposing armor as it would be another layer of protection for her from the emotions she kept bottled in.

Just like that process of getting armored up was completed and Adam was sheathed in his suit. The robotic arms whirred and pulled away, resetting for the next one.

"All right, step out of the ring," the sergeant running the console that controlled the machine ordered.

Adam complied with the order, the teen Spartan taking some awkward steps off of the platform.

"Okay, now wait a minute while the overshield powers up," the technician in green coveralls ordered.

Inside Adam heard a low-pitched hum that rose in volume as he watched the shield indicator in the display HUD of his helmet fill from red to green.

"Good," the technician said as he waited for the shield to fill. "Now take a few steps around and get used to the neural interface."

The thoughtful teen took several timid and stiff steps as his brain spun from the information overload of trying to operate the half-ton system. Quickly his mind adapted and he began to smoothly move about in the power-assisted armor as the others watched then cheered his movements.

This was going to be fun.

**November 22, 2552, ****1035hrs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo 6, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

Natalia walked through the Hive in a bit of a fog. The dreams about Mars had returned and again she'd woken up screaming, her bed drenched in sweat. The pattern was becoming too familiar and she knew that something needed to be done or she'd fall into a pit she wasn't sure she could get out of. The troubled woman wasn't sure Mike would understand, her pride wouldn't let her talk to anyone in the Medical Corp so she thought anew about talking to her father about it.

The troubled woman had received a pleasant surprise when Mike called on her father's device. He was out of Cleveland but he was shipping out again the next day. They'd had the chance to chat and they would again this day but it was awkward and stiff. He'd asked her about MacKenzie which was more embarrassing than irritating and though he seemed to accept her answer he still seemed off. The perceptive and sensitive woman could feel there was something there but she herself didn't possess the energy to do anything about it. She loved Mike, deeply, and knew he loved her but began to wonder if that was going to be enough. Now she was running around the facility on a series of errands and make-work projects for Captain Osman that seemed of little value other than to provide discouragement for the woman who was already struggling. Her insignificance was becoming more overt. She seemed little more than a messenger which was belittling.

"Ma'am."

Natalia froze when she saw the man acknowledge her as they were about to pass and stop. Despite the tailored suit it was obvious who this was from the nearly 6' 11" he stood. His shaved head with fist clenching arrows tattoo and piercing blue gave him away.

It was Jun-A266, Noble Three.

Hello, Jun, it's…it's good to see you," she stammered in response. The last time they'd met hadn't gone well and she wasn't sure what was about to happen with the Spartan-III supersoldier. Yet his mouth was turned in a slight smile and he seemed to actually not be angry to see her.

"How've you been?" Jun asked neutrally, not betraying his mood.

"Uhm fine, pretty good," Natalia answered nervously.

"You did good work on Mars," Jun declared matter of factly.

"Thank you," Natalia answered genuinely, relieved for the positive comment. "But how do you know about that? I thought that was classified."

"I've been read in on things like this," Jun said with a chuckle. "My new job allows me certain liberties with information like this."

"So, what are you doing?" she blurted out.

"Can't tell you, that's classified," the former Noble Team sniper responded, a twinkle in his eye. "How are you and Mike getting along?"

The question caught the emotional woman flat-footed.

"Well…uhm…we're…well…we're good," Natalia stammered.

"Really?" the former sniper pressed, knowing she was being evasive.

Natalia looked at the Spartan and saw no judgment in his eyes. In fact, she thought she could see compassion. She'd always thought Jorge, the burly Spartan-II had been the most sensitive in Noble Team but perhaps she'd misread Jun. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been wrong.

"Honestly, I don't know how things are going," the woman confessed miserably.

"But he came for you in Mars? He defied orders and risked himself for you?" Jun stated more than asked.

"You read that too, huh? Natalia asked, eliciting a grin from the enigmatic Spartan. "Yea, he did and things were great. But then things became strained when he left for Cleveland."

"Why?"

Natalia was left no wiggle room. "Because I got overly sensitive and pressed him when he was prepping for a mission."

"But you love him, right?" Jun pressed in, watching her carefully.

"With all my heart," Natalia confirmed, feeling suddenly vulnerable.

"Then don't let stuff like this stress you out or distract you," Jun counselled, "trust the Wolf's heart. He's a good man, he cares a lot for you."

"How do you know?" Natalia pressed back, suddenly urgent for confirmation of his feelings.

"Before we were separated when we got back we talked about you and how he felt. Don't let this war get in the way of your feelings. Hang on to them, they might be some of the only good things coming out of that whole shitty experience on Reach," Jun stated reflectively.

"Thank you, that means a lot," Natalia stated genuinely, feeling simultaneously a weight lifted from her but also a sense of sadness at the treatment of the Spartans like Mike and Jun. Mike had shared how Jun had come back and rescued him when he thought all was lost on Reach. The pair had a bond forged on Reach and yet it seemed the two had no contact with each other. Suddenly, compassion filled her heart for the deadly warrior who weighed over 245lbs. "And how are you doing?" she asked him genuinely.

"Working at the Hive takes getting used to," he responded with a shrug. "I'd rather be out in the field but that's not my choice. So, I'm trying to do what I can to make a difference where I am."

The sensitive woman's heart went out for the man before her and chided herself anew for how ego-centric she'd been for so long. Her and her father had talked about the Spartans and she'd watched a replay of his interview advocating for the supersoldiers. She began to ponder what she would do.

"Listen, I have to run, it's been good to see you ma'am," Jun said genuinely.

"Me too. I can't tell you how much this means."

"I bet, "Jun responded with another chuckle. "The last time we met things didn't go so great."

Natalia turned red and wasn't sure what to say.

"I got you wrong, Misriah, you're all right," Jun confessed. Natalia was about to thank him for the revelation but he cut her off. "Listen, watch your six while you're here. You're being targeted by some people you don't want to."

"And how do you know this?" Natalia suddenly became wary. "Are you being read in on anything else?"

"No, I'm a sniper. I observe things. Just be careful. But know you have a friend in me. See you around." With that Jun walked away leaving Natalia in his wake to contemplate what he'd just said.

**November 22, 2552, ****1525hrs, New York Military Facility, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"No! Don't overcompensate! Let the suit do the work for you!" the armory sergeant-major barked at Matt who was picking himself off the ground in the training area they were using to adjust to the new Mjolnir armor.

The burly assaulter swore and punched the ground in frustration as he pushed himself up for the third time. "I'm trying, this thing just doesn't work properly," he shot back, anger rising. This was not the fun experience each of the teenage Spartans had expected.

"Work with the neural interface, Matt," Mike stepped in. "don't over think what you're doing. It's okay, you'll get used to it."

"Before we ship out to Africa?" Matt retorted, still frustrated.

"It's okay, you'll get there," Maia encouraged her teammate. She'd adjusted quickly and was moving along well in the bulky, power-assisted armor.

Besides Maia, the others on the team were struggling to get used to movement and function in the armor after spending so much time in the SPI armor but the worst was Matt whose solution to his inability to adapt was to push harder.

Though quieter about it Alissa was just as frustrated by the transition and likely angrier. The volatile Spartan was having problems getting to places she wanted and numerous times had misjudged the spacing needed for the bulky armor. Though vastly superior to what she'd worn previously she'd felt comfortable in it and could move fluidly. She felt like a tank which wasn't great imagery for a sniper. As she got used to the movement, she was already trying to act like the sniper she was so as she moved about the area with obstacles and various levels she'd had trouble getting into spots where she'd set up as a sniper. Once she'd almost even got stuck in a crevice. The impatient teen had forgotten this was not a tactical training area, that would come later, but rather merely a familiarization course. Of course the impatient Spartan had forgotten that so was getting ahead of herself and dealing with rising anger.

While Terrell was rolling with the frustration and working with the techs there to help him Adam was going through his own set of problems. His elation at being released from hospital and rejoining the team was beginning to bleed away at the struggles he was having with the power-assisted armor. While Matt and Alissa were getting rammy with it he did the opposite, becoming timider and hardly moving. Already the armory senior NCO had singled him out for a dressing down for not doing the movement drills they were supposed to be doing to stay on the time line. This only made the insecure blond-haired team even more hesitant.

Mike took this all in and while he couldn't read the minds or see facial expressions underneath their helmets he knew them well enough now to know they were all struggling. It wasn't surprising, the timeline for assimilation to the new armor system was way too aggressive. He himself had had a week of practice before going out on training exercises. His team was getting less than day before they were to face the Covenant. It was going to be a baptism of fire and his frustration with their treatment as Spartans began to grow. Yes, they were supersoldiers, yes, they were asked to do the impossible and they did, but it seemed like time and again the deck was stacked against them.

The Lone Wolf was already moving well in his new Mark VI suit and it fit like a hand in glove. He'd picked the standard package in light charcoal color, similar to his old suit of Mark Vb. He liked the neutrality of the tone remembering Natalia's own red armor she'd worn when they first met. The thought of her made him pause but he pushed it out of his mind. He knew they'd speak and he needed to focus on the task at hand. The suit though was a work of art. The liquid crystal layer and titanium alloy shell fit seamlessly together. Everything had been upgraded and no expense had been spared in development by Materials Group, the manufacturer. Mike was particularly impressed by the enhanced Heads-Up Display connectivity as well as the smoother neural interface integration. He'd been told the shielding had been upgraded against plasma-based weapons which he appreciated, feeling the burns he'd received over the years by the Covenant's weapon projectile of choice. In that vein he also appreciated the Biofoam injection system that had been built in. No more would there be the fumbling for a can of the life-saving material when injured, it would be released automatically when needed. The somewhat sentimental Spartan was beginning to miss his old Mjolnir armor less and less.

An ODST officer in black BDU's with close cropped reddish hair came up and snapped a salute to Mike interrupting his train of thought. "Sir," Captain Gary McLynn said in acknowledgement of his new CO.

"Nice to see you again, Gary," Mike acknowledged, returning the salute.

"You too, sir," the Helljumper officer responded.

"It's good to be serving with you again," Mike stated. "What's your team's status?"

"The boys are good to go," McLynn confirmed with a chuckle. Then with a twinkle in his eyes added, "Gunny MacGregor is so excited I think he'll have them ready to load up in the next 15 minutes. But don't tell him I told you that."

Mike snorted in response, picturing the ODST senior NCO who seemed to have a new lease on life after receiving his prosthetic arm. "Outstanding. Well, as you can see, we'll probably just barely make our timing but we'll be ready."

"How are they making the transition?" McLynn asked curiously, his green eyes looking more closely at the drills the Spartans were going through.

"Slow, but better than expected," Mike said, trying to stay positive though in his mind he had a growing concern as he watched Matt bump into Alissa and fall again, starting an argument between the two. "There's a bit of a learning curve with Mjolnir. I'd have liked more time for them to field test it but necessity dictates pace. They'll get there."

"No doubt in my mind, sir," McLynn agree confidently. "It'll be great to serve with you again. Thanks for the opportunity."

"Like old times, huh?" the Lone Wolf declared.

"Indeed," the ODST officer said. "What are your orders?"

"Carry on with what you've been doing. You have the timetable and logistical elements," Mike confirmed. "I trust you and Hank to get the job done. You have my full authorization to do what you need to prep. So, unless you need anything, I'll see you at our next brief with Colonel Holland."

"Sounds good, sir," McLynn acknowledged, happy for the confidence his commander was showing in him. Though the ODST's were special operations and so expected to work independently that wasn't always the case as senior officer tried to micro-manage the process at times. But the seasoned combat veteran knew there'd be no such issue with Mike-B312, he trusted his subordinates and that made them fight that much harder than him. The observant officer though also knew the man would have his hands full getting ready as Matt and Alissa continued to argue with each other.

In the early evening despite making progress the Spartans of the Wolf Pack were far from proficient with their new Mjolnir armor but the rest they'd have to learn on the fly. Mike and Adam joined Captain McLynn in Colonel Holland's office for their pre-deployment briefing.

"The situation is pretty fluid right now in Africa, gentlemen," Colonel Holland said grimly, running his hand over his close-cropped brown hair. "The Covvies are concentrated in Kenya and for the last month have been holding on to a piece of land around New Mombasa and the Voi area tighter than ticks on a dog. We have only recently figured out they're digging out some massive piece of alien tech."

"Do we know what it is, sir?" Captain McLynn asked.

"Some kind of portal is best we can figure but we're not sure," Holland replied fixing the trio with a stare from his dark brown eyes. "Another thing is there seems to be some internal fighting there as well which gives us an opportunity. That's why we're bringing in more assets like your team to bolster our coming counter-attack."

"Mission parameters, sir?" Mike asked, processing the information.

"Again, fluid, Mike," Holland confessed with a grimace. "I'll keep you posted en-route and what we find on the ground will dictate what you do."

Adam gave Mike a confused look that wasn't lost on the colonel. "Understand we believe there are more Covenant ships en-route to Earth. We're fighting for our very survival here so this is not going to be a chess game."

"No, it's a brawl," Mike finished the senior officer's thought.

"Exactly. It's all hands on deck and we need you there."

"Makes sense. The Wolf Pack and Wolverines needs to be where the fight is," Mike declared confidently. "So, what are our atts and dets?"

"In terms of logistics and support, Melanie-B252 will be joining Team Wolverine as a recon specialist," Holland stated to Mike's surprise. This was going to get even more complicated as Melanie confidently walked in with a grin on her face. She gave Mike a decided look then sat down easily in the remaining chair by their handler's desk.

"You worked well together on Mars and in Cleveland. I'd like to see those symmetries continue. Other than that, you're self-contained and self-sustaining. You have authorization to get whatever you need on the ground."

Mel looked over and gave Mike a wink then grinned.

Holland went on with some other information that was lost on Mike as he tried to process the surprising news. He'd hoped to get some space from Mel and sort out his thoughts but now they'd be together in close proximity again.

After Colonel Holland dismissed them to their duties leaving to make his own preparations for departure Melanie turned to Mike and cheekily said, "Looks like you can't get rid of me that easy. See you on the ship."

The attractive Spartan then turned and sauntered away, leaving Mike confused and conflicted in her wake. Captain McLynn caught it was well but said nothing and instead awkwardly left to attend to his ODST team.

"You okay, sir?" Adam asked, reading the look on his commander's face.

"Yea, I'm fine," Mike lied. Then trying to shift the conversation from him asked, "Any questions?"

"No, the mission parameters seem pretty straight forward," the dark blue-eyed Spartan replied with a shrug. "But I'm a little worried about how we'll all do in our new armor. I mean I'm happy for it and all and it's amazing but we've got a bit of a learning curve still."

"I can appreciate that, Adam," Mike acknowledged. "Normally you get more work-up training but I'm impressed at how quickly all of you have gotten up to speed. You'll all be fine. We should get a chance to work with it a bit in the field before we're thrown into the mix," he shared, hoping his concern didn't show through.

"Sounds good, sir," Adam responded with a nod, accepting his commander's assessment. They were about to leave when he remembered, "Oh, and by the way, Natalia came to visit me in the infirmary while you guys were gone. I really appreciated it."

"Say again?" Mike asked, caught off guard.

"Natalia came to visit me," Adam confirmed. "She felt bad about me being wounded in her rescue on Mars so wanted to check in on me and see if there was anything I needed. Honestly, I was in a pretty bad spot right then so our conversation helped a lot."

"Thanks, Adam, I appreciate you sharing that with me." Mike's mind was starting to process the unexpected declaration. Like a flash of lighting he remembered Natalia's nightmares. He'd forgotten with everything going on in Cleveland and hadn't asked her how she was doing in their brief call earlier. Guilt welled up at his insensitivity and he chided himself for it.

"Just thought you should know," Adam replied with a nonchalant shrug, not catching the turmoil in his commander. "I'm going to go check on the team and make sure out loadout for the morning is good to go and then if it's okay I'm going to hit the rack. I suspect sleeps going to be at a premium going forward."

"All right, good plan," Mike responded, genuinely happy to have the quiet but thoughtful Spartan back. "I've got a few things to do and I'll be back to the shacks in a bit."

The clock was ticking. Not only were they going into a nebulous combat situation in a new armor system with a largely new group of ODST's in support but now Mike had to contend with Melanie coming as well. There was much to do in the remaining hours before they left and he knew he also needed some sleep. But before that, he needed to make a call.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**November 22, 2552, ****2245hrs, New York Military Facility, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"Tali?"

"Mike?" Natalia exploded at the other end of the call that had gone through, "Is it really you?"

Though it was the middle of the afternoon in Australia Mike wasn't sure he'd be able to connect with her working at the Hive. Fortunately, he'd kept the number Natalia's father had given him which included a by-pass code. He reminded himself he needed to call the man before they shipped out to say good-bye. "Yea, I wanted to call before we shipped out."

"I've been thinking about you a lot since our call earlier in the day." The emotional woman seemed on the verge of tears.

"Me too. Listen, I've been an ass," Mike confessed. "I've been thinking only about myself and feeling sorry for myself. How are you doing? Any more dreams?"

"Oh Mike," the woman's voice choked and she couldn't speak, driving a knife into Mike's heart. "It's hard," she confessed. "I… I don't know what to say….I miss you…I shouldn't say that when you're deploying."

"No, I miss you too Tali and I appreciate you telling me," Mike responded, trying to stay level-headed and strong for the woman. He also knew she was being evasive and not wanting to answer his question. There was a risk here. If he pressed, she could get angry at him and that would ruin their conversation which seemed to be their existing pattern. Yet he cared for the woman, no, he loved her, he corrected himself so had to.

"But what about your dreams about Mars?" Mike asked again, trying to sound as even as he could.

"You want to hear about those?" Natalia's voice had a sudden edge to it.

"Yes, I do," Mike confirmed, bracing for a storm.

"Uhm…yea…well…," Natalia stammered, trying to maintain her composure.

"Listen, I've been stupid and insensitive to what you're going through," Mike became emboldened as he began to realize the woman was not going to get angry at him. "It's probably seemed like I don't care but I've just gotten so used to the killing I don't think a lot about it. I forget it's probably hard for others. Pretty twisted, huh?" Now he was feeling bad for his own way of thinking.

"I appreciate that and it's not twisted," Natalia countered. It seemed as if he'd given permission to speak openly about this so she opened the flood gates. For the next ten minutes she went on about her dreams and the struggles she'd been having of late. While hard to share in the end she felt surprisingly better.

"Thanks for sharing all this with me Tali," Mike acknowledged, head spinning a bit from his girlfriend's revelations. "I'm sorry I missed it the first time. But don't keep this stuff in okay? Talk to your dad about it too, he wants to help. We're both here to help you get through this stuff."

"Thanks Mike, that means a lot."

The pair chatted for some more time, now with the air cleared, they could talk freely and enjoy each other's company. But the clock was ticking and Mike knew he had things to do so started to wrap up the conversation. Still, there was one thing left he needed to accomplish. "Hey, listen, I heard you went to see Adam in the infirmary. That meant a lot to him and to me."

"It was the least I could do," Natalia acknowledged. She too was happy for the renewal of connection between them. Her dreams had been a heavy burden and she'd not wanted him to think of her as weak but now she knew keeping those memories in was eating her alive. No, she needed to talk to Mike about this, her father, and probably talk to a professional to get her back on track. She could feel the lightness return in her voice and liked it. "We had a great chat and it was nice to reconnect with him. I also ran into Josh Shoemaker when I was there."

"Who?"

"Private Shoemaker, my driver when I came to find you on Reach," Natalia explained.

"Oh, okay." Mike remembered the young soldier who'd helped Natalia with her Mjolnir armor when it had malfunctioned due to her negligence. If not for him things may have been different for the pair. "How's he doing?" the Lone Wolf asked genuinely.

"Not so great." Natalia's tone changed to one of regret. "He lost a leg later on in the campaign and got medivac'd to Earth.".

"Damn, that sucks," Mike responded, weighed down by yet another casualty of the relentless war.

"Dad's going to see what he can do for him," Natalia perked up then changed the subject to something more pleasant. "How is Adam, by the way?"

"He's great," Mike reported. "He's back as 2ic with the team and is deploying with us."

"That's good," Natalia responded a bit too eagerly.

Mike wondered if he should tell her Mel was still coming with them. He didn't know what to say so didn't, enjoying the lack of tension in their conversation.

The pair chatted pleasantly for the next while until the urgency of an impending timeline compelled them to break off the conversation. Each was keenly aware of how much they missed the other and how much they'd like to see each other. But it was not to be. Still, after their conversation before Cleveland each was happy for the tone change and optimistic that despite the war they'd be able to get their relationship back on track. They hoped so anyways. Each declared their continued love for the other as they hung up.

Natalia felt a lightness she'd not experienced for some time. Even her drab office suddenly seemed brighter and cheerier. While the dreams of Mars still haunted her for the first time she believed she could overcome them. There was still a lot of unknowns and Mike deploying to Africa which was now the center of the fight for Earth didn't help. But she realized that was out of her control and to simply enjoy what she did have control over. No, she had the chance to do things differently. She'd even smile and say hello to Captain Osman the next time she saw her.

For Mike the feeling of lightness didn't last as long. He was happy he'd cleared the air with Natalia and had apologized. The intuitive supersoldier also could tell she was in a better place after their conversation and that made him happy. Still, he was an agent and property of the UNSC being sent from one dangerous mission to another. He understood the urgency of the matter and the need for those with his particular skillset to be in the forefront of the fight for humanity but his heart also ached for some form of normalcy in his life. Earlier in the evening he'd overheard a group of soldiers eagerly sharing their plans for the leave they had upcoming. For the Spartans there was no such luxury. No, it was get some chow, try to catch some sleep and then strap in for the next fight. This had been his life for years and he'd not thought much about it but now things had changed. No, the happiness of the moment dulled pretty quickly.

Ruth Charet sat in her comfortable apartment unable to sleep. Though able to afford much more the practical woman chose to live more modestly. The General Secretary of the United Nations absently twirled the metal arm of her glasses as she replayed the conversation with Admiral Parangosky back in her mind. Again, she was at a crisis of sort.

"_It's pretty clear that ONI is threatening me, and my family_, she thought to herself. _But why? What are they afraid of?_ The highly intelligent woman paused and mulled those questions over in her mind for a while. Yet another thread of thought kept intruding into her processing. _Why am I doing this? I've never stepped out in risk before. Why stop now and over something like this?_

Yet even entertaining the thought brought a wave of conviction over the principled woman. She'd always lived by a code of honor that drove her decisions. It had always directed her life and had ultimately made her into the woman she was. Yet now that she'd been threatened, she was prepared to give that up. An involuntary shudder wracked the woman despite the fact her home was climate controlled. It wasn't a change in temperature but rather of conviction. She couldn't do that to the UN and she sure couldn't do it to herself. No, this was now more than about the Spartans, this was about who she was at her core. The choice suddenly became easy.

Ruth Charet, despite the late hour, took out her datapad and began to draft a declaration she would share with her team and the United Nations the next day. The pragmatic woman knew she needed to be careful in how she did it. But in the end, something had to be done.

Like the ripples of a stone thrown into a pond, as Mike and Natalia contemplated their conversation and Ruth Charet considered the implications of her proposed actions the growing legacy was having another reaction as well. Serin Osman walked briskly into Admiral Parangosky's office.

"Mike-B312 and Misriah have just spoken," the aide to the head of the Office of Naval Intelligence reported.

Parangosky frowned at the report but didn't' seem surprised. "How was he able to gain access to her here?"

"I suspect her father gave him access to the secure routing codes," Osman answered, irritation clearly evident.

"So, it would appear the two have maintained their connection despite everything going on. Interesting," Parangosky paused to contemplate what was going on. "No wonder Spanner is now on his crusade," she mused, steepling her fingers as she considered the news and implications of it.

"You're right, ma'am," the Spartan II washout agreed then declared, "Enough of this! When are we going to do something? That worm MacKenzie still hasn't produced anything. He's too cautious."

"Patience Serin," Parangosky said more as a warning than an encouragement. "Yes, we can use that man. Send him a reminder. But in the meantime, let's send Natalia on an assignment to Africa."

"But why would we do that? Isn't that where her Spartan's going?" Osman blurted out, regretting immediately the emotion-laced outburst. Serin didn't know why this whole situation bothered her so much. The privilege of Natalia Misriah was an irritant so she instinctively wanted to see the attractive, wealthy woman hurt, but surprisingly she was more agitated at Mike Nantz. The woman who'd been herself in the Spartan program had not made it through the final augmentation process. In fact, it had left her body broken which made her unable to continue. So she'd been plucked for administrative duty with ONI and eventually she'd been picked up and groomed by Margaret Parangosky. Serin Osman had tried to lose herself in her job and her ability and hard work had gotten her to where she was, on the brink of incredible power when she took over from the elderly woman in the near future. Yet Serin Osman also missed true camaraderie and friendship. She remembered still her days as a child training as part of a team, having people in her life that cared for her and she cared for. So now to see this other Spartan beginning to experience not only this but it seemed also love caused the still-hurting woman to peak in jealousy. In reality though this was envy tinged and even part of her admired the man. This volatile cocktail of emotions led to her caring way too much but mainly because the little voice in her head told her she could have the same thing if she had the courage. But for all her strength and power Serin Osman was a coward when it came to matters of the heart so she hated Mike for it.

"That is true." Parangosky confirmed, observing the turmoil in her protégé. She'd let it slide rather than exploit it this time. She had a degree of affection for the woman, or as much as she could, or perhaps it was old age. Though she knew ONI would be in good hands under Serin Osman she also knew that the broken Spartan II was not her. In a split second of self-reflection the elderly, bitter woman thought that perhaps was a good thing. "But we can keep her arm's length from him."

"I get it, close enough to know they're there but not close enough to connect," Osman stated with a grim grin.

"Correct, so close, and yet so far," Parangosky confirmed.

"Is that it?"

"Of course not," Parangosky countered with a wicked smile on her wrinkled face. "Make sure dear Natalia has the opportunity to see the front. Our determined girl seems to have delusions of the heroic. So, let's let her."

"And if she's killed?" Osman asked, emotions suddenly mixed.

"We'll have a fitting tribute to her here at the Hive," the admiral stated almost happily. "I want her there tomorrow."

"Very well, I'll see its done," Osman replied, throwing up a salute and wheeling about to leave the office. She almost regretted sharing this piece of news.

The intrigue and politics of the bigger picture were lost on Mike Nantz as he began supervising the loading of his team and the ODST Wolverines starting at 0430 on four Pelicans that were beginning to spool up. He'd had some down time but little rest. This didn't concern the supersoldier since he knew he could handle it but what was of greater consequence was he had a lot on his mind. He watched Melanie lithely moving about her tasks despite the bulky armor he wore and couldn't help but watch her movements. He was a man conflicted. Part of him was glad the woman who'd come back into his life was joining them, another desperately wished she wasn't. The die was cast and he'd have to deal with it along with his relationship with Natalia.

"You okay, sir?"

Mike physically started as the question delivered with a Scottish brogue broke him out of his musings.

"Excuse me, gunny?" Mike asked Hank MacGregor who'd come up to stand beside him.

"I said, are you okay, sir?" the ODST senior NCO asked patiently.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" the distracted man tried to deflect.

"Listen, we haven't known each other too long," MacGregor acknowledged. "It's hard to believe really. But we've also been through a lot together so I'd like to think I know you pretty well and have good instincts with you. But even a buck private coming out of basic training could see this," the season veteran deadpanned.

Mike was jarred by the statement and turned to give the seasoned veteran a careful look. There was no judgment or condemnation in the man's face, instead there was compassion and understanding. "Yea, I've got a few things on my mind, gunny," he confessed.

"Girl troubles?"

Again, Mike reacted as if he'd received an electric shock. "I…well…I mean," he stammered then finally confessed, "You could say that, but how did you know?"

"You're just off," MacGregor stated, then motioning towards Melanie said, "That one looks at you like a cat about to devour its prey. Plus, you have a look on your face that says 'I don't know my arse from my elbows right now."

Mike couldn't help but chuckle at the imagery but then became serious. "Are you concerned about how I'll perform?"

"Not one bit, sir," MacGregor declared without hesitation to Mike's relief. "I know you're the man to lead this mission but I also know you'll take all this, stick it somewhere and it'll eat your insides out like acid. You're a man, not a machine, eventually that stuff will eat away at who you are and you end up losing yourself."

Mike looked anew at the older man and saw something in his eyes. "You sound like you're sharing from your own experience, Hank."

"Aye."

The observant operator thought he saw the hard-as-nails ODST's eyes mist up a bit. "Thank you for caring enough to say that, it means a lot, more than I can express," Mike said genuinely.

"I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did," MacGregor declared.

Mike looked at the man who returned his gaze, measuring whether to articulate what was on his mind or not. _I trust this man with my life_, the Lone Wolf thought to himself, _I should be able to trust him with this._

It was a step of faith and Mike decided to take the leap.

"It's confusing. I love Natalia and she loves me. We're good together, most of the time. But then this war keeps getting in the way of us figuring out what our relationship really looks like," Mike confessed.

"And?" MacGregor knew there was more.

"That's frustrating enough but then there's Melanie. She seems interested in something with me." Mike looked down at the permacrete floor of the landing bay they stood in as one of the Pelican's let off a _hiss_ of steam. "Part of me is interested in her too," he confessed. "But I don't know what it means. I've known her for years but it was all when I was a kid. My emotions are all scrambled up and I can't make heads or tails of them."

"So what's your rush?" MacGregor asked.

"What do you mean?" Mike was startled by the unexpected response.

"You act like you have to have this all figured out before your next meal," the ODST NCO declared. "Feelings are complicated things. You can't always control them and you sure as hell can't rush them."

"But I don't like how they make me feel."

"No one does."

"How do I get them under control, Hank?" Mike pleaded.

"In some ways you really can't. You have to ride them out until they start to work in harmony with you," MacGregor explained.

"What do you mean?" the deadly supersoldier asked though at the moment he was very vulnerable.

"I read once about in the past in America's west where they'd need to tame horses. The wildest ones would buck and break and try to kill anyone who attempted to ride them. They were the fastest and strongest horses around and they couldn't be controlled."

"So how did someone tame them?" Mike asked, being drawn into the story.

"Well, you had a choice. You could ride the docile ones that didn't take any effort. They'd get you there eventually or else you had to get on the wild mustang and ride until you got into rhythm and they eventually gave way. You'd be thrown probably a few times and that would hurt but in the end…" MacGregor let his voice trail off to allow Mike the chance to pick up his point.

"You had something worth riding," he finished.

"Exactly. The valuable ones took the most effort. But with time, sacrifice and also co-operation in the end it was worth it."

"So how does this apply to all the stuff I'm going through?" Mike asked, a sense of optimism beginning to grow.

"Mike, you need to ride it out and give the time needed to tame this," the gunnery sergeant stated with passion in his voice. "I'm not going to tell you what you should do or who you should be with, only you can make that decision, but I don't want to see you rushing the situation to try to come to some form of resolution. That does no one any credit. No, ride this out, keep your eyes open and trust your heart. You have a good one. You're a good man and will make the right decision in the end."

"Thanks Hank, I appreciate that," Mike declared genuinely. He looked over and saw that Melanie had stopped what she was doing to watch the pair, curiosity etched on her face. He had to confess, he was confused. He loved Natalia, deeply, but he also had some unexplored feelings for Melanie. They were going perhaps into one of the toughest assignments yet but a sudden calm came over him and he knew not only it would be okay but he might even figure all this out in the process.

"So, what do you think, sir?" MacGregor asked not so much looking for a response as to signal time was moving on.

"I think it's time to go to Africa and kill some Covvies, gunny," Mike responded, a smile lighting up his face.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**November 23, 2552, ****0831hrs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo 6, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

Captain Osman walked into Natalia's office precisely one minute after she'd arrived.

"Good morning, Ms. Misriah," Osman stated without affection then handed her a plain brown envelope.

"Good morning, captain," Natalia responded politely. Receiving the envelope, she asked in order to buy some time from her initial shock of CINCONI's aide coming to see her, "what's this about?"

"New orders from Admiral Parangosky. Open it and read them," Osman answered briskly.

Natalia used every ounce of her willpower to not show concern before the probing eyes of the woman she knew despised her. Inside was a single piece of paper with Joining Orders for the Office of Naval Intelligence company in New Mombasa Kenya effective immediately. She'd be in an 'information gathering' role and her transport was leaving 24 hours after receipt.

"Do you understand these orders?" the aide asked.

"Yes I do, captain," Natalia answered without emotion.

"And do you have any question?"

"No ma'am, I'm good."

Serin Osman waited a full two minutes for a reaction before leaving without saying another word. Natalia wouldn't give her the satisfaction. The captain left disappointed by Natalia's response but didn't have time to linger. She needed to contact MacKenzie Wainwright and remind him of his offer of 'help'. It was turning out to be a busy morning.

After Osman left Natalia burst into tears and her heart beat so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest. She was being sent directly to the front lines for no purpose other than to probably try to get her killed. The implications of what this meant chilled her to the bone.

_Parangosky must really hate me if she's going to these lengths to get rid of me, _Natalia thought. A grim fatalism started to creep over the woman marring her attractive features. But then, like a ray of sunshine, a new thought burst in.

"I know what this is about," the troubled woman declared aloud to herself then_ thought, but I've also been in combat before, I can handle this. I know how to look after myself. I did that on Mars_. While she knew the horrible dreams would return again that night, she determined to not let them get the better of her since there was a new and more powerful thought that had come out of her realization: she was going to be that much closer to Mike.

**November 23, 2552, ****0915hrs, Pelican Foxtrot 5-23, enroute to Kenya, Africa, Planet Earth**

The last brief enroute with Colonel Holland had just finished up and it dampened some of Mike's good feelings after his discussion with Gunny MacGregor. The situation in Africa they were being thrown into was worse than he'd thought. Most public reports had stated the Covenant in Africa were confined to a location in Kenya where they appeared to be protecting a dig of some large Forerunner artifact. The battle had been going on for over a month but was a stalemate. Unfortunately, another Covenant battle group had shown up and tipped the scale of the fight. If that weren't bad enough the ease with which they were able to penetrate through Earth's naval defenses had sent a chill through UNSC planners. Long range scanners seemed to be showing more Covenant ships enroute and the word 'Reach' was starting to be whispered. So, the humans needed to launch a vigorous counterattack in order to contain what was going on. There were several other locations on the planet humanity were fighting the invaders but Africa seemed to be the critical strategic location.

So the Wolf Pack was being sent there.

The news was not all gloomy. There were other Spartans in the area including John-117. the now famous Master Chief. Mike had heard good things about the Spartan II through the grapevine but he'd also heard that the Smart AI Cortana had been paired with him. That got the Lone Wolf thinking of Reach and the desperate mission the remnants of Noble Team had fought to get her off the planet. It had ended up costing Commander Carter and Emile their lives. A high price but increasingly it was seeming to be worth it. So, it seemed like his team and the ODST Wolverines were not the only assets at the dance. Regardless, it seemed like another desperate fight which meant they were the right ones to be part of it.

As his commander mused the mission assignment Adam surveyed the rest of the Wolf Pack sitting comfortably in the Pelican. He, like Mike, was worried about how they'd adjusted to the new Mjolnir armor. He and Maia had seemed to make the transition not too badly though he knew he didn't understand it all and wouldn't be using the suits full capabilities. But at least he was able to move freely and he'd figured out the shielding system which would be a welcome addition. Terrell would likely adjust well on the fly but Matt and Alissa rather than working with the armor seemed to resist and try to exert their will on it. That could prove to be a problem in the inevitable combat they were sure to quickly see when they hit the ground.

That was something though which was not his biggest concern.

The sensitive teen Spartan realized the anxiety he'd thought beaten seemed to have returned. Like a terrorist cell lying dormant and coming back to life his was now back. It had likely been his time recovering in the hospital but the reason why didn't matter. He'd laid down to sleep the previous night and the nightmares about his family being butchered by Brutes had come back and he'd woke up in a cold sweat having soaked his bed. Even the thought of the dream caused his heart rate to spike which was noted by the bio readout in the helmet that sat on his lap. He'd disabled the alarm function so no one else would find out what was going on within.

Adam knew he could fight, and he was comfortable moving back into his role as second-in-command for the team. That wasn't it. The big issue for him was what would happen when he ran into Brutes again. He painfully recalled how he'd frozen in the first several encounters with the Jiralhanae on Mars. It wasn't embarrassment or pride that he worried about. Instead his concern was that his fear and inability to overcome this would cause the death of someone, or worst of all, one of his teammates. The thoughtful teenager couldn't live with that if it happened. So, as they flew over the ocean towards Africa, he became more and more anxious.

Melanie looked over at Mike and knew he was deep in thought and something bothered her. She figured it was likely mission-related since he'd taken his helmet off after the time she knew he'd been talking to Colonel Holland. She was no longer the 2ic of Noble Team but adjunct and in a recon role so wasn't privy to that level of the chain of command anymore. That didn't bother her. She knew Mike would brief her and the rest of the team in when needed, and it wasn't that she had been moved back in the chain to make way for Adam. She was truly happy for the teen that he was back.

Then what was it?

The deep-thinking woman couldn't put her finger on it and that was likely the cause of her irritation. For years she'd been in control of everything to do with her life. She even felt she had control of the battlespace she interacted with. But now few things seemed to be. All of her agitation seemed to revolve around Mike. Watching him she knew he was pondering the mission because she could read him. As a child training on Onyx she'd developed that connection with him and though they'd been separated for years it had come back right away. There was a fit and they were comfortable around each other.

Or mostly.

They worked well together, that was obvious, they cared about each other. That was obvious too. But what that all meant in the bigger pictures was foggy at best. She had feelings for him which she couldn't control and that irritated her as well as she couldn't control his feelings for her either.

Again, an irritation.

Then there was Mike's current love of his life. Melanie wouldn't go there. No, she was a woman torn- torn between the desire to move back to the insulated bliss she had experience before and this new and scary world of feelings. And now they were on their way to Africa together. The fates seemed to be keeping them together. Was it some twisted joke of the Divine to keep her off balance and remind her of something she'd never have or was it instead the opportunity she secretly hoped for? Melanie felt as if she was staring at a door before her. Did she walk away or did she kick it in and see what was inside? The clock was ticking and she needed to decide one way or another soon.

In Australia MacKenzie Wainwright sat at his portable datapad and could feel beads of sweat running down his back, staining his tailored shirt. He'd heard from the annoying Captain Osman again who'd laid out an ultimatum for him in plain terms. Many times he'd thought of going to Spanner Misriah but his pride and fear wouldn't let him. Instead he sat alone and wondered how he'd gotten into this position. A few months ago, his life had been golden- career progression, his relationship with Natalia and everything flowing in his direction. His was a life of privilege and he never realized he'd taken it for granted. He felt this privilege was deserved because of who he was and his ambition manifest. The prideful man wouldn't consider much had to do with the name of his family and connections he enjoyed. No, everything had been great and now it was being taken from him.

It was the Spartan's fault.

That soldier has stolen his girl and the favor of Spanner Misriah. _I'm too good for her, I'm too good for all of them. I'll show them my true value when I take from them what should be mine by rights_, he thought to himself, almost convincingly.

No, the die was cast. MacKenzie had to go through with it and he believed he could. He'd already set up a series of relays and blind addresses to route his access attempt so as to cover who was going after the data. He had his own codes and another he'd been able to grab from the corporate office in Sydney the afternoon before. Now it was time to do what he had to do.

MacKenzie placed his fingers on the keyboard and started to tap in the access codes only then realizing not only perspiration was beading on his tanned forehead but his hands were shaking. _Enough of this!_ He chided himself. _Get the stuff, get out and move on._

The would-be hacker got through the initial entry and first two firewalls with little effort. Between his codes and the ones stolen it was a breeze.

"I'm in!" he said to himself triumphantly, silently congratulating himself on the cleverness of his plan.

MacKenzie was just about to start a download on the latest weapon system research from Misriah Armory when he noticed a single black dot flashing in the lower left side of his screen. It took him a split second to realize what it was and then his heart froze with realization.

"Oh shit! It's a trace program!" he said and in one swift motion took the mug of coffee he'd been sipping from and threw it on the datapad frying the device instantly.

Heart beating like it was about to explode MacKenzie Wainwright prayed he'd severed the connection fast enough and the relays he built in were enough to keep his identity secret. Later in the day the broken executive would take a hammer, smash the device apart and then throw the bits into an incinerator.

While MacKenzie Wainwright was trying to cover his tracks, in the same city Natalia had put a video call in to her father.

"Hi sweetheart, this is a pleasant surprise," Spanner declared happily. Then seeing the dark look on his daughter's face asked, "What's going on? I can tell you're upset."

"I'm being sent to Kenya on assignment'" Natalia answered lifelessly.

"What? How can that be? Who ordered that?" her father demanded.

"Guess? It's Admiral Parangosky, of course," Natalia responded bitterly. "I think she's not only trying to get me out of the way but get me killed."

"We're not going to stand for that. I can…," Spanner began but was cut off by his daughter.

"No dad! No more interference. No more privilege," Natalia declared with passion in her voice. "I'm going to do this and do my job. I've been in combat situations before, I can take care of myself. I think the admiral has forgotten that."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm just worried."

"Thanks dad, I appreciate that," Natalia acknowledged. "But it's not all bad. Mike is enroute to Kenya as well so it might be a chance for me to see him."

"Always seeing the opportunity," Spanner chuckled. "Good girl."

"Hey, I'm a Misriah. I'll talk to you when I'm on the ground. I love you dad."

Back in New York Ruth Charet had come in earlier than usual and was already working the machine of the United Nations. The effective bureaucrat had contacted the chair of the UN Human Rights Committee and had met with the middle-aged Korean man who'd received what she'd shared not with the hoped-for enthusiasm but hadn't our-right shot down the idea either. This was not as much for the strength of the resolution Charet was proposing as much as for the strength of her position and view she was one on the assent. The bespectacled former medical doctor rarely advanced things such as this and was known for careful thought. So, it was a winning combination. The committee chair then got the wheels rolling with his own group.

Spanner Misriah had a message waiting for him when he arrived at the executive level of Misriah Towers. The conversation he'd had with his daughter was still weighing heavily on him. While he trusted her abilities and resolution the father was also concerned about the reality of her assignment. She was being sent into the epicenter of the Covenant's invasion of Earth on a pretense. He knew it was little more than an excuse by CINCONI to put her in harm's way. The pragmatic billionaire wasn't sure what was going on but he had his suspicions. The message though from Ruth Charet solidified in his mind what his pride wouldn't allow him- his advocacy of the Spartans had tipped the already tense situation over the top. He was the reason she was being sent into the fire. The selfish pragmatist in him would have tried to find an out but he now knew he couldn't do that. He prayed she'd be safe but also stuck to his convictions. In fact, they grew even more resolute. He had his assistant put his driver on notice to take him to the United Nations at mid-day.

At noon Ruth Charet stepped into a briefing room to meet the press who'd been called for an announcement. A large crowd had gathered in curiosity since the Director General rarely made these kinds of statements sensing something important was about to happen. When Spanner Misriah showed up most began to put the pieces together and several were already contacting their editors to let them know something big was coming down.

Charet adjusted her rectangular wire glasses while scanning the gathered crowd with her penetrating blue eyes. The crowd hushed in anticipation of her speaking though the usually cool woman suddenly became nervous. The implications of what she was about to share would be big and she knew the Office of Naval Intelligence would not be pleased. The doctor ran a hand nervously through her white hair and cleared her throat. No, she would not hold back and she would not be intimidated. This was the right thing to do and it was about time the UNSC, the United Earth Government and even the United Nations started to do the same thing.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice," Charet began nervously, then she saw Spanner Misriah who gave her a confident nod and her resolve stiffen. "I want to share with you the following resolution the United Nations Department for Human Relations is in the process of releasing. It will be formalized at this afternoon's General Assembly.

"Be it resolved, in this dire time of humanity's need we commend the United Nations Space Command for their undertaking of the protection of humanity. We salute the brave men and women on the front lines and remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. An ancient book written over 2500 years ago, the bible, said, 'greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down their life for their friend.

But

Especially in a time such as this, we must remember the very thing that separates us from the barbaric Covenant, that is our humanity. All men and women are imbued with inalienable rights and they must be not only cherished but preserved especially during the time of a desperate fight since it's in times like this we may be tempted to forget our basic human rights.

So

The United Nations would like to remind the military command of their responsibility to protect and preserve our humanity but also the basic rights we cherish so deeply.

Specifically:

We would ask that the basic human rights of the Spartan supersoldiers be maintained to the same level as that of the other military and civilian members of the UNSC.

We thank you for being the guardians of our lives and freedom and wish us all god speed in this conflict."

Spanner Misriah couldn't help but smile as heard the resolution being read. "Way to go, Ruth," he said to himself. "I knew you could do it."

Charet finished and looked up from her notes. The statement was brief but after little more than a second those gathered exploded in excitement for the implications of the statement. The UN had just acknowledged the Spartan program and had also called for them to be treated with basic human rights. The simplicity of the statement was lost in the implications of what hadn't been said but now was in the open. Reporters began to pepper the Secretary-General with questions but many of them turned to Spanner Misriah who sat in the visitor's gallery wanting his comments as well. The ripple effect of this had the potential to turn into a tsunami.

On the other side of the planet the news conference and statement by the United Nations was being observed by more than casual observers.

Margaret Parangosky fumed silently though outwardly her countenance was like ice. "I have to admire the old bird," the head of ONI grudgingly stated, "I didn't think she had it in her."

"We should expect interest from news media and likely some political types," Black Box stated, the cube-like avatar hanging over the admiral's polished desk. "You humans really do have a unique ability to complicate things, don't you?" the Smart AI added showing it was amused by the exercise.

"That will be enough, Black Box," Parangosky snapped. "I'm well aware of the repercussions likely to come out of this."

"Then what are we going to do about it?" Captain Osman asked.

"For the time being nothing, but our time to respond will come," Parangosky answered without emotion. "There is much blame to share if it should come to that. Remember, we have all the files and all the information. We can ensure that light is shed in many dark corners if necessary. No, we will respond but, in many ways, I do believe this can still be turned to our advantage. Ask Jun to come and see me this afternoon."

**November 23, 2552, 1135****hrs**,** UNSC Staging Area, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

The Pelicans carrying the Wolf Pack and Wolverines landed with feather-light accuracy and began to disgorge their passengers in a military encampment being used by the UNSC as a staging area for their ongoing operations in Kenya. Walking into the mid-day sunshine each could see for themselves the extensive damage to the city that had once been a jewel not just of the African country but all of the Earth.

New Mombasa was a major port city and industrial center near the equator in South Kenya on the Indian Ocean in Africa. The city was built on Mombasa Island and surrounded by Old Mombasa; the original town that had been built hundreds of years earlier. A dominant feature of the once impressive skyline was the Mombasa Space Tether though the skyline had been much destroyed during the recent Covenant invasion. In 2302 due to the economic stability and key location it was chosen for the building of Earth's first space elevator which transformed the already prominent city, making it one of the most important on Earth.

That all changed on October 20 when a small Covenant fleet slipped through Earth's defensive network under the Prophet of Regret. The invading forces laid siege to the city and over a series of weeks the metropolis stood in the balance. When Regret's forces made a slipspace jump the ensuing shockwave and EMP event caused heavy damage not only to the city but the digital infrastructure as well. Several hours later the unthinkable happened. Weakened by the shockwave the orbital teether collapsed with part being pulled into space and the remainder falling to Earth as far away as Voi. The damage to the city, area and Tsavo Highway was severe. The human defenders had only a momentary respite to consider this catastrophic event when a Jiralhanae-led fleet arrived at Earth and took over from where the Prophet of Regret left off. UNSC forces continued to battle the invaders who eventually glassed large sections of the city before moving most of their operations to the area of Voi.

Still, the Brute-led force continued to occupy a number of key sectors of the city and especially access to the Space Elevator so it was here the Wolf Pack and ODST Wolverines would begin.

Mike looked around surveying the area. The weather gauge on his HUD registered a temperature of a warm 26 degrees Celsius so began to adjust the internal environmental levels. it was sunny with mixed fluffy clouds though there was a chance of light rain later in the afternoon. It was an altogether pleasant day. No wonder the place had been a popular tourist destination before the invasion. Sadly, there would be little tourism in the years to come. The dull thud of explosions in the distance showed this was still an active war zone. The ruins of buildings on the horizon and oily black smoke clouds gave testament to the destruction which angered anew the deep-feeling Spartan.

"All right, Captain McLynn, Gunny, get your people sorted. Wolf Pack, look sharp. It's time to get to work."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**November 23, 2552, 1250****hrs**,** UNSC Staging Area, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

The briefing was quick and to the point. Colonel Holland allowed the Operations Officer for the Kenyan Battle Group to brief them and then added his own comments but there really wasn't much they already didn't know. The Spartans and their ODST unit would go find Covenant and kill them. They were to start with the effort to clean up New Mombasa which was in the final stages and then would be shifted to Voi where the fight was beginning to center. The area commander wanted to be sure the Covenant 'infestation' as he referred to it was cleaned out of his backyard before he focused on what seemed to be the concentration of the invader's efforts. It was a pretty straightforward template, one that Mike liked- essentially point and shoot. The Lone Wolf's life had become increasingly complex over the past several months so the simplicity of linear combat was strangely comforting for him.

Once completed the team headed over to the armory to get ammo and supplies then get into the fight. Spirits were high with the rest of the Wolf Pack though most were still awkward in their Mjolnir armor. The place was alive with activity as Warthogs and transport trucks raced back and forth and the troop surge that had been ordered was unfolding so the team didn't notice another Spartan looking at them from a distance.

"Looks like everyone's been invited to the party," a firm female voice said behind the Wolf Pack. The Spartans turned to see who had spoken to them.

Mike received a pleasant surprise. "Dani!" he called out happily.

Before them was a female Spartan III with sparkling brown turned blue eyes. She wore matt green Mjolnir Mark V ODST armor and stood watching the group with a jaunty smirk.

Danielle-B000 had been part of Mike's training group and though not part of his section the two of them had been like brother and sister. She'd been another one pulled from the company after training for special assignment and so had not been part of Operation Torpedo.

"How many women does this guy know?" Matt whispered to Maya with a note of envy in his voice.

Beats me," the teenager replied with an amused shrug.

The rest of the team shared the pairs interest except for one crowding around like only teenagers were capable of doing. A reminder of the fact that even though they were efficient and deadly operators they were still youths with the same ability to become easily distracted.

"Hey Danielle," Melanie stated evenly.

"Melanie," the new Spartan responded, her bright face turning cloudy.

"Things get a little chilly here?" Matt commented to the others, observing the scene.

"You've been doing good work, Mike," Danielle stated, ignoring Melanie and the others. She was uninterested in anyone else so her focus was set.

"Thanks, Dani," Mike answered, noticing the chill but not sure what to do about it. "And so have you. Words gotten around."

"People were starting to call me another Lone Wolf," the female Spartan who stood about 6 foot 5 responded proudly.

Mike was uncomfortable with the moniker but didn't want to rebuke his former training mate and friend so nodded and chuckled.

"So, what you been doing since Mars?" Danielle asked, still ignoring everyone else.

"We were involved with the operations to take Cleveland," Mike answered, trying to enjoy the moment with his friend he hadn't seen in years but struggling.

"Isn't that still winding down?" Danielle asked, showing she was aware of what was going on in the broader war.

"It is but we got pulled to come here. It's just a mop up action now."

"Outstanding! Well, there's lots of action here," the woman stated enthusiastically.

"You been here for a while?" Mike asked.

"Almost since the beginning," Danielle answered. "I've been working with an ODST team.

"Oh yea, who's that?" Gunny MacGregor interjected after coming over to join the conversation, his natural curiosity piqued.

"Alpha 9 with the 65th Shock Division," Danielle stated proudly.

"Good lads, I heard," MacGregor stated with a nod of approval.

"You got that right, gunny."

"Well me Wolverines will give you a run for the money," MacGregor stated in his thick Scottish brogue like a proud father.

"Glad to hear it. I'm sure they're up for the challenge." Danielle shifted her focus back to Mike. "Sorry to hear about Kat. There aren't too many of us left."

"Thanks. Yea, it sucked," Mike acknowledged, going back to the time on Reach.

The sound of human and Covenant weapons exchanging fire in the distance brought the focus back to the task at hand.

"Well, got to get back to work. I'll be seeing you around, Mike. Good luck to the rest of you." Danielle plunked her helmet onto her head and moved through the rubble of a building and out of sight.

"Bitch," Melanie said under her breath.

"What was that?" Mike asked.

"Nothing. We need to get moving," the female recon Spartan countered testily turning and walking away herself.

Mike had heard but let it slide. He could tell Melanie was jealous and that bothered him. Danielle had been like a sister to him and there'd been nothing between them unlike with Melanie. Yet she'd reacted as if there were. It reminded the now-brooding man of the dynamic of their relationship. The two worked well together and the team liked her but this tension wasn't healthy and he feared at some point it was going to cause them trouble. He thought of Natalia and how this murky relationship with this woman must look to her for the first time and he realized the proud Misriah was being extremely patient with him. One more thing to deal with.

For Melanie, she remembered the female Spartan as a brooding loner who Mike had taken an interest in and protected from some of the more aggressive trainees over the course of their time at Camp Currahee. She'd remembered her being pulled at the same time as Mike and had heard some stories about her exploits but really hadn't paid attention since it wasn't relevant to her. Now she and Mike were back together with her and while it should have been an occasion to celebrate the moody female Spartan couldn't. She really needed to get out and kill something.

The opportunity came less than two hours later.

**November 23, 2552, 1250****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"Sir."

"Yes, what is it Niccolo?" Spanner Misriah asked his Smart AI.

"There's been an intrusion attempt on the new weapon system research files," the avatar that modelled itself after the 16th century Italian thinker stated.

"What?" Spanner sat up in shock, waving his assistant to leave the room which she did immediately. Once his office was cleared, he asked, "What happened?"

"Someone accessed the files using a trace program and a series of dead-end locations," Niccolo answered.

"And what did they get?" the billionaire industrialist asked, his mind already moving into contingency planning mode.

"Sir, I wouldn't be reporting to you in this fashion if they had," the Smart AI declared a bit smugly.

"Good." Spanner relaxed. "Do we know who made the attempt?"

"Of course, it was MacKenzie Wainwright."

"Excuse me?" the head of Misriah Armory choked out, sitting bolt upright like he'd been hit by lightning.

"It was MacKenzie Wainwright," Niccolo confirmed, not quite getting the rhetorical nature of the question.

Spanner Misriah buried his head in his hands at the implications of what had just happened and how things might have got to this point. He reflected back on the last several months and all that had changed in the young man's relationship not only with the company but also with the Misriah family.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Niccolo."

"How would you like to respond?" the Smart AI asked.

"Does he know we know?" Spanner asked, already thinking through his response.

"That is uncertain. He did appear to quickly severe the connection which gives the impression he was aware that the intrusion was discovered. But he ran a very sophisticated relay and sub-relay program to hide his electronic signature. I must confess to being impressed with myself for the speed at which I was able to route it back to him," Niccolo congratulated himself. "He likely believes that while the attempt was unsuccessful, he remains in the shadows."

"All right. Have a security detail pick him up. Monitor all travel centers to see if he's trying to flee Sydney. I want detained up quickly and quietly. No police, no media."

"Understood, sir. And is he to disappear?" Niccolo asked without malice or emotion.

A chill went up Spanner's spine at the question. "No, I want him brought here but I also want it to be quiet. Maximum security blanket. No one finds out about this. Let me know when we have him and he's in transit."

"As you wish it, so shall it be done," the Smart AI confirmed with bow and then the avatar faded out of sight.

Spanner Misriah had much to consider in the time before his one-time protegee was brought before him.

**November 23, 2552, 1505****hrs**,** New Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

"Push through!" Mike ordered the ODST Wolverine squad that had been flanking the advance of the Wolf Pack and were again getting bogged down due to the impassible terrain in the former business district of the once opulent city. Mike drilled a Grunt with a three-round burst from his assault rifle and deftly turned to shoot another. Terrell's GPMG barked as it scattered another group of the Unggoy who'd tried to concentrate and support the charge of a pair of Suicide-Grunts. All that happened was the plasma grenades they'd been cooking to try to stop the human advance went off in the midst of them and they scattered in panic. The team fought in the shadows of the ruins of three skyscrapers in the 8th district of the city. Broken concrete and twisted rebar made for mini-fortifications rising up to forty meters in the air for the Grunts, Jackals and Skirmishers that were holding the area.

"Why are we here anyways? We should be in Voi where the real fight is," Matt complained firing his shotgun and missing a rolling Jackal. The burly assaulter was a step behind the Kig-Yar who then turned and shot back at the teenage Spartan with its plasma rifle, scoring a direct hit. Matt had already been hit several times so the alarm claxon went off in his Mjolnir armor signaling he needed to find some cover and let the shield regenerate.

"Yea, there doesn't seem to be much of value here," Alissa agreed. Frustration etched her voice as she tried to pick her way through the debris of the destroyed building she'd been trying to find a spot to set up on. But she'd overextended her reach and had fallen bumpily down to the rubble-strewn street though the gel-layer of her armor protected her. Not just the noise but the cloud of concrete dust she'd raised brought in response a flurry of crystalline needler rounds her way. Most connected and her shield alarm went off as well.

"We're here because there's a fight here and the Marines trying to take this back need some help. Let's stay focused on the task at hand," Mike answered, trying to keep his voice from sounding testy as he switched from his assault rifle to his M6G magnum pistol is one smooth motion. Toggling the KFA-2 scope he found the opening in the Kig-Yar's shield and capped off two armor piercing rounds that snapped the Jackal's head back.

Mike could hear the frustration in both the teen's voices not as much at the situation but at the difficulties they were having adjusting to the power-assisted armor. In truth, other than Maia, most of the team were having problems. Fortunately, this was a mop-up action so the fighting was light. He worried about what would happen when they got into something more desperate.

Most of the northern sectors of the city had been glassed already by the Covenant but the south was still largely intact as the invaders tried to hold a link between the metropolitan area and the nearly 160km long highway to Voi which was now their main area of operation. Why the Covenant continued to hold parts of the city they'd originally attacked was unknown, or at least it hadn't been shared with the Spartans. This was why the Wolf Pack and their ODST Wolverines had been moved there to provide support for the Marine units still engaged. Though fighting was sporadic it still existed and command wanted this enemy concentration dealt with once and for all for the sake of having at least something they could call a victory. Thus far though they'd seemed to win the lion share of skirmishes and the battles though the once jewel of Africa now was largely a smoldering ruin. Still, the humans wanted it back.

Adam had been listening to the conversation of his teammates and had become momentarily distracted as he approached the corner of the building he'd been using as cover. He'd missed the Skirmisher who'd patiently waited in an alcove for the teen Spartan to pass. The blond-haired Spartan didn't realize the Kig-Yar was there until he heard the familiar _chug chug chug_ of a needler being fired. Reflexively he flinched forgetting the shield capabilities of his armor and overcompensated lurching forward then tripping on a piece of concrete on the ground. Face down on the sidewalk Adam made a nice target. The Skirmisher squawked in victory as it came triumphantly to stand over the Spartan who was having trouble getting up. Mike could see this but was out of position to help. Fortunately, Maia saw and made a big power-assisted jump over a pile of rubble to land less than twenty feet from her teammate. The Skirmisher was so focused on its easy kill it realized too late what was going on as the quiet female Spartan placed a well-aimed three round 9.5x40mm SAP burst from her battle rifle into the avian's skull.

"Thanks, Maia," Adam acknowledged, getting up sheepishly.

"No problem," his teammate replied, covering him. "Don't forget you have shielding. You can take a few hits."

"I should remember that," Adam confessed. "I guess I just got caught up in the moment."

"Be sure you're all working with your neural interfaces," Mike interjected. The Lone Wolf had switched back to his assault rifle and scattered another concentration of Grunts effectively ending opposition in this particular block. It had been slower than it should have been but the teen Spartans were clumsy in their new Mjolnir armor and so the progress had been at a snail's pace. "Also, like Maia said, know how many hits you can take before you have to regroup and let your overshield recharge."

"I just can't get the hang of this," Matt complained. "I'm trying but it's not working. I can't believe I'm saying this but I almost wish I was back in the SPI."

"I know what you mean," Alissa added, picking herself up from falling again. "I didn't get one shot off because I can't get where I need to be. This sucks."

"It's okay guys, we'll get it," Adam tried to be encouraging but his voice betrayed his lack of confidence.

Maia said nothing, holding a covering position to the next block they'd be advancing to while Terrell chose to say nothing as well, putting a new belt of ammunition into the drum of his GPMG.

Mike could feel the frustration of his team and couldn't blame them. They'd not had enough training and familiarization with the new armor and it had showed. Though no one said it, all were thinking the same thing. They were lucky so far that they'd not faced stiffer opposition. Yet they weren't going to be given the opportunity so they needed to figure out how to make it work on the fly. This was weighing heavy in the increasingly agitated Spartan since it now rested on his shoulders.

"You need to slow your pace and be patient with yourself," Mike tried to encourage them. "You'll get there. Key thing to remember is your reflexes and responses are all enhanced so in the end you'll perform at the same pace until you get used to it."

"Not so easy to do in combat, sir," Matt piped in, still frustrated so letting it boil over.

The commander of the Wolf Pack wanted to lash back in frustration with a retort of his own but held his tongue. Instead he answered, "Yea, I get that. It's not fair you guys were thrown into this without the proper training and preparation. But I know you can do it. We stick together, we help each other, and we get it done."

"You're right, thanks sir," Adam jumped in, hoping to move to a more positive tone.

"Wolverine Actual, what's your SITREP, over?" Mike called over TEAMCOMM to Captain McLynn, wanting to think of something else besides his own growing frustration.

"We've cleared the area north and south of your position, Wolf Pack Lead," the ODST officer reported. "We're consolidating and dealing with our wounded. Two minor to report, nothing major."

"Excellent, good work Wolverines," Mike replied, happy with the report. "We're prepping for our next bound. I'll set waypoints for yours when we're ready to step off. It should be shortly. Keep up the good work."

"Roger that, Wolverine Actual out."

Mike pulled up his tactical map of the district and began to set the next push the group would undertake. The sound of automatic gunfire drifted in the on warm afternoon air reminding him there were others still trying to recapture the broken city. He had to confess that Matt was right, this really wasn't an assignment for them but he didn't call the shots. Frustration mounted but then the seasoned veteran realized they'd been called in to help finally clear New Mombasa once and for all with a minimum of casualties. The UNSC and local police and militia units had been fighting for the jewel of Kenya for nearly a month. The city had been largely glassed and casualties must have been high. Why not call in a team of Spartans and their support company to help? The Lone Wolf reminded himself this wasn't about him and his 'kill count' anymore. He was part of a greater effort and needed to be sure he was doing his part.

Melanie came trotting into the area they'd set up in from the recon she'd been undertaking in the next block for the Wolverines, linking back with the Wolf Pack. "You still here?" she asked in surprise. "I thought I'd find you further up by now. Resistance is light you should be cutting through this easily. Do you think this is a vacation or something?" the sometimes-glib operator added sarcastically.

"We'd been doing better if this bloody armor worked right!" Matt barked back at her.

"Yea, it's not our fault it won't do what we want it to," Alissa added.

"Come on guys, calm down," Maia tried to help.

"Easy for you to say," Alissa countered angrily. "You don't have to try to crawl around with this stuff."

"All right, pipe down," Mike ordered grumpily. "Get ready to move out." He gave a hand signal for 'not helpful' to the Recon Spartan.

She flashed back to him to go to private channel which she did.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stir things up like that, Michael," Melanie apologized. "What's going on?"

"Most of them are still struggling with the armor," Mike answered not hiding his frustration with the situation anymore.

"But I thought they'd gotten the hang of it back in New York?'

"Sure, they got the basics down but combat's a different thing, you should know that," Mike allowed his frustrations to concentrate on her.

"You're right. I've been in Mjolnir so long its second nature to me. Guess I forgot." Melanie paused for a moment and looked at Mike's helmeted face. "I'm sorry I'm making things difficult for you Michael."

Mike paused and allowed the frustration to bleed off though guilt began to fill the void at how he was acting towards her. She was doing her job and only trying to help. It wasn't that really when he was honest with himself. He continued to struggle with his feeling towards here especially relative to his relationship with Natalia. "Don't worry, it's not you. We just need to get over this, that's all."

"Okay, thanks, Michael." Melanie answered with a note of sadness in her voice.

Mike's guilt only grew but he needed to get back to business. "What have we got?"

"Mixed parties of Grunts, Jackals and Skirmishers bunkered up in the ruins of those building over there," Melanie pointed to a skyscraper that had fallen down to its last three stories, knowing it was time to get back to business.

"Okay Wolf Pack, let's get at it and clear that sector out," Mike ordered then switched to the broader frequency. "Wolverines, here's your waypoints, we're moving now."

The frustrated Spartan slapped a fresh mag into his assault rifle and wondered anew what would happen when they eventually met stiffer observation. He prayed his team would get the hang of their new armor before that.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**November 24, 2552, 1250****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

Two Misriah Armory security officers brought the miserable looking MacKenzie Wainwright up to the executive wing of Misriah Tower in Manhattan. They'd kept things quiet for the most part. The man who'd betrayed his employer had been seized in Sydney without a struggle then been flown to a private airport in New York and transported in a vehicle with darkly tinted windows. Finally, he was brought into the building via a loading dock and then service elevator and finally by back stairs to the executive wing that overlooked the downtown of New York.

On this floor, in contrast to the journey so far, everyone saw the man who had sought to betray the company. Word had already spread of the man's actions so the other senior executives made a point of coming out of their lavishly-appointed offices, like the one he used to have on the same floor to look with distain at the man who'd fallen so far from grace. This walk of shame seemed to take forever to MacKenzie Wainwright who now knew the blunder he'd made.

Finally, the miserable experience ended and he moved into Spanner Misriah's wing. MacKenzie saw Nancy Compton, the billionaire's personal assistant watching him from her desk and also a member of the man's close protection detail who stood outside the powerful industrialist's door. The pair of security officers stopped and the bodyguard took him in to face his fate.

"Come in MacKenzie, take a seat," Spanner Misriah said without emotion or malice to the young man.

MacKenzie looked around the room he'd been in hundreds of times over the past couple of years. The priceless art still hung on the wall, the seating area with overstuff leather furniture had the same arrangement for meetings before, the five-hundred-year-old antique side table still held cut crystal decanters, each holding a different and rare scotch whisky. There was only one thing different from usual, Spanner Misriah's Smart AI Niccolo was active and watching him just off to the side of the man's dark mahogany desk.

Hand on his shoulder the bodyguard guided MacKenzie to sit in the single chair that sat across from the powerful businessman then took a half-step back to loom over the miserable man like a harbinger of death.

For over a minute Spanner Misriah said nothing, instead scrutinizing the man who'd once been his protégé, as if looking for something. Finally, with a saddened look on his face and a slight nod of his head said, "You disappoint me, MacKenzie."

"What's going on, I don't understand what's happened," MacKenzie tried to bluster in feigned outrage though it was far from convincing.

"You know what, MacKenzie? Let's cut right to the chase because I know," Spanner countered, again with no emotion in his voice.

MacKenzie looked over at Niccolo, who looked in turn back at him with a smug look on his semi-translucent face. The ambitious young man had been trying to figure his way out of this situation since he'd been seized in Sydney but now knew it was futile. Despite his best efforts to hide what he'd done the Smart AI had caught him. In an instant he knew his life was over but he still had a choice and he knew the one he had to make.

"You're right. I did it. It was stupid and I regret every moment of it," MacKenzie admitted honestly.

"Why?"

"I lost everything!" MacKenzie exploded, causing Spanner's bodyguard to tense up. "I lost my position with you, I lost Natalia…" his voice drifted off as he looked down and away from Spanner's unrelenting gaze. "I lost everything," he repeated despondently.

Spanner Misriah looked carefully across his desk at the miserable young man who sat across from him, one he thought he knew intimately. At first the powerful industrialist had been outraged at the violation and wanted revenge, then that thought became tempered with a curiosity as to why the executive with so much to lose would do something so stupid. Now, sitting before the broken man, in the seat of judgement, something strange happened- he felt sad.

"Tell me what happened," Spanner asked, more gently than he'd expected it to come out. Something had changed within him in the last few weeks, and something new but long dormant seemed to be coming out- compassion.

MacKenzie looked carefully at the billionaire as if trying to understand his angle, but all he could see was curiosity. Unable to meet the steady gaze he looked down to the expensive custom carpeting on the floor and began. "When you sent me back to Sydney, I was really angry. Natalia had already rejected me for that Spartan," the word was spat out, "and now it seemed like I'd fallen out of favor with you too. I get her changing her mind, that happens, but what about you? I used to be one of your right-hand men."

Now it was time for Spanner Misriah to feel uncomfortable. The young executive's words had a strong ring of truth to them. "You're right, MacKenzie, I treated you wrong and I apologize," he confessed causing not only the accused to physically start but the industrialist's bodyguard as well in surprise.

"I guess I allowed too much of your work here to be tied together with your relationship with Natalia," Spanner continued. "I guess I didn't really see it. It was unfair since you are an excellent and valued member of the team. I was wrong."

MacKenzie sat with mouth open at the genuineness of the confession, stunned into silence. Finally finding his voice he continued, "I was so angry I wanted to do something to hurt you. I brooded and drank too much and so talked to someone I shouldn't." Misery etched not only the handsome man's face but was full in his voice.

"Who did you talk to, MacKenzie?" Spanner asked.

"I can't tell you," the man responded in obvious conflict.

"Listen, if there's to be any path forward for you, you need to come clean."

"You mean there might be a way for me to return to what I had before?" MacKenzie cried out, not expecting a light at the end of the tunnel.

"There can be," Spanner stated emphatically. "But it depends on how you deal with this. As angry as you were, I can't believe you'd stoop to corporate espionage. Someone put you up to this and I want to know who."

"It was ONI," MacKenzie stated without hesitation.

Spanner Misriah had thought as much but had hoped otherwise. First Natalia being sent into the warzone and now this. Admiral Parangosky was definitely gunning for him. "And you know this for sure?"

"Yes, I met with the head of ONI's assistant, Captain Osman, on several occasions." It felt good for the young man to get it off his chest. "I met with her but then after I calmed down a bit I knew this was wrong and wanted to break things off with them. I swear to God, it's the truth."

"I believe you, MacKenzie," Spanner replied honestly. "So, then what happened next?"

"She was pushing me to get the data I tried to steal. I told her I wouldn't but she blackmailed me to do it. In the end, I had no choice," MacKenzie stated, tears beginning to fill his eyes and spill down his cheeks. "I wish I'd never done it. I'm so….so…sorry," the broken man began to sob.

"Get ahold of yourself man. Nothing was taken and you've been honest with me," Spanner stated, becoming serious. "It was a foolish thing you did, reckless really, but I understand. We can make this work but I need something from you."

"Anything! I just want to be able to come back to my old life," MacKenzie choked out, holding onto the lifeline.

"I need proof that the Office of Naval Intelligence was involved with this incident. I need proof they tried to steal from the UNSC's primary arms producer. Do you have any?"

MacKenzie thought hard since he knew much depended on this decision. In the end it was an easy one. "Yes, I kept a video log of our last meeting, just in case."

"Good, I need it," Spanner declared. "Show me."

"I can get it for you but I can't do it here. But I can access my files in Sydney from the server in my condo here," MacKenzie declared.

"Okay, go get them and come back here right away, you're free to go," Spanner stated.

"I...I can leave…without escort?" MacKenzie replied incredulous.

"I trust you Mr. Wainwright," spanner declared. "Don't let me down."

"I won't sir, I won't," the man now holding the lifeline replied enthusiastically. "I'll be right back." With that he charged out of the room and towards the main elevator. This time, no one looked at him with disdain.

**November 24, 2552, 1435****hrs**,** New Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

"You can see, ma'am, the remnants of a firefight here and the pocket of Covenant resistance that was effectively eliminated," the young junior officer who looked like he wasn't old enough to shave reported to the bored woman he was escorting.

Natalia had come in by transport to Kenya earlier in the morning and had gone through a series of briefings at ONI headquarters in the city. Despite the mass destruction in the jewel of East Africa the intelligence service's building had not been touched, a concept not lost on the growingly cynical woman.

Sealed orders had already arrived for the commander of the ONI cell for the woman who'd arrived from the Hive which had caused quite the stir for those who had survived the Covenant invasion and now were processing data for headquarters. The middle-aged operative's brows had furrowed as he read the orders as Natalia stood before him. The man with receding hairline had said nothing though his body language showed she was not to be treated as a pampered guest from head office. In fact, she'd been ordered on a tour of the front lines with no security detachment. It wasn't hard to figure out the intent behind the orders.

For Natalia this was not a problem. While she didn't seek danger, she was no longer afraid of it. So, she was now traveling about the city escorted only by a nervous Army second lieutenant to gather information for a report that she knew no one would read.

The fight for the city had been won the previous evening thanks to a troop surge that had flushed out the last pockets of Covenant resistance so there was little action in the area she was touring. Despite the calm in the city Natalia still wore the ballistic armor of the ONI Security Forces and carried a sidearm. Even though she was being set up and nothing was happening it still felt good for the woman to be away from the Hive and all the intrigue going on. Ironically, she'd hoped the fighting had continued so she might 'bump into' Mike but like so much of the couple's luck of late that was not to be.

"All right, what else do you have to show me, lieutenant?" Natalia asked the nervous logistics officer who seemed very happy to be away from the front.

The pair moved to the next district to make an assessment of what had occurred dodging debris which littered what had once been a prosperous business sector. Natalia knew her father had operations in the area and wondered what had happened to the people who used to live and work here. The sense of loss to humanity was not lost on the intelligent woman. She'd seen the destruction on Reach, then Mars, and now here on Earth. While she could get distracted by her own personal drama she reminded herself her struggles and losses were nothing compared to so many others. Again, a reminder to keep things in perspective.

"Recovery hasn't begun to clear the area, ma'am," the dark-haired officer named Ian Wilson apologized, breaking Natalia out of her musings.

"Now here you can see the effects of a concentrated quick attack," the new officer pointed out, trying to show the knowledge he'd gained at OCS. "This would indicate a group of…"

"Spartans," Natalia finished for him.

"How do you know?" the young man replied in surprise.  
"I've worked with Spartans before."

The officer looked at her. She wore no name tape this time. She didn't want her name to change her treatment. He wondered anew why this woman was alone with him on this tour. "That's right."

"Do you know which unit?" Natalia asked, suddenly interested in what they were looking at.

"That's classified, ma'am," Wilson responded, face reddening a bit in embarrassment.

"Even for ONI?" Natalia shot back without malice and then answered easily, "Doesn't matter, it was likely the Wolf Pack."

The officer was stunned anew at her accurate assessment of not only what group handled this fight but which one. "Uhm, yea, okay. Well, I mean…," he stammered, unsure what to say as the attractive woman fixed him with a piercing look from her deep emerald green eyes.

"Any chance you can tell me where they currently are?" Natalia pressed.

"That's…well…that's kind of…." the officer stammered anew, lost in her gaze and not sure what to say.

"Classified? Right?" Natalia answered. "Sorry to put you on the spot, lieutenant. I've worked with them before and was hoping to connect." Then she gave him a dazzling smile that melted his heart. "So, if you ever have the opportunity to connect us, I'd sure appreciate it. By the way, the name's Natalia Misriah," she stated, emphasizing her last name and then looking up at the building in the distance that carried her name.

Lieutenant Wilson heard the name, saw the gesture and immediately made the connection. But in truth she'd captured him with the smile. He smiled back, though gulping as he looked into her striking face with china white skin and already knew what he wanted to do. "I'm sure something can be worked out, ma'am," he stated enthusiastically, suddenly enjoying the assignment that much more.

For Natalia, this was the opportunity she'd hoped for and it was coming the first day she was on the ground. What Admiral Parangosky had seemed to plan for her demise she was now going to turn to her advantage.

Just north of the city the UNSC forces were continuing to push the remnant of the Covenant garrison from New Mombasa and away from the Tsavo Highway and the main road to Voi. UNSC forces were concentrating in an old 20th century military complex about 25 kilometers from the main area of Covenant occupation and only a couple of kilometers off of the highway. The theatre commander didn't want the Covenant forces to make it back to the main concentration since his forces were still thinned out in that area and he couldn't provide an adequate blocking force to stop that from happening. A flash message had gone out to the area commander in the destroyed Kenyan city to continue to engage the Covenant forces and pivot them away from the road. That was easier said than done since the contingent had been reinforced with several Jiralhanae packs and armor. They in turn wanted to push up the Tsavo to link up.

To Mike and the Wolf Pack the broader strategy was not really relevant as they continued to work as part of the spearhead of UNSC forces trying to forcibly move them in the direction the human defenders wanted. It was a pushing match and neither side was backing down. UNSC forces had minimal armor as most were either damaged or being prepared to go north. As a result, an inordinate amount of weight was placed on the Spartans to provide the punch the human's needed. The only problem was the teens of the Wolf Pack were still struggling with their armor. The ODST Wolverines with them had gelled together well as a unit but now found themselves frustratingly hampered by the surprising slowness of those who should be leading the way.

In fact, another ODST detachment was preparing to push through and Mike recognized his old friend from training at Onyx leading the way.

"Hey Mike, what's going on? You guys being paid by the hour?" Danielle-B000 called out cheekily, causing the Helljumpers with her to laugh heartily, to the embarrassment of his team.

"Just a little bogged down, Dani, we got this," Mike responded through gritted teeth. "We have the lead," he reminded her.

"Not for long," the female Spartan replied with a chuckle but no malice. "Wait and see."

"Wolf Pack Lead this is Mkali Actual," the area commander for New Mombasa called over the comms causing Mike to look at his former training mate. "What's your POS over?"

"Mkali Actual, this is Wolf Pack Lead. We have just crossed Line Shujaa and are pushing to the next grid," Mike responded, anticipating what was coming.

"I can see that on the TACMAP Wolf Pack. I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything. You should be onto the NEXT objective by now. What the hell's going on here?" the general demanded in exasperation.

"Resistance has been heavier than expected sir and we've experienced a few unforeseen challenges," Mike explained, trying to keep his own frustration out of his voice.

"Well you better get yourself 'unchallenged' and get moving, son," the officer demanded angrily. "We can't have assets like this tied up and I sure as hell don't want to see the Covvies flank us and make it onto Tsavo. Do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, sir," Mike answered, an edge creeping into his voice.

"Then get it done. I'm pushing up other elements who have orders to take your position if necessary. If you can't maintain mission pace you are ordered to step aside. They should be on your POS now. Acknowledge."

"Acknowledged," Mike answered, feeling his neck tightening in frustration.

"Good. Mkali Actual out."

Mike swore and pounded his leg with his armored hand in frustration. He could appreciate where the area commander was coming from but it also wasn't in their control. Just when they'd finally started to get some momentum the Covenant had brought up a squad of Ghost Rapid Attack Vehicles supported by a trio of Wraiths. The added firepower and the general clumsiness of the Spartans in their new Mjolnir armor caused their progress to grind to a halt. Mike had lost three of his Army Warthogs to the counter attack and the promised Scorpions from the Marine's 506th Tank Regiment had not shown up. So, he was stuck using ground troops. If it had been Noble Team he had little doubt they'd be two objective lines ahead but with his teen Spartans they were barely holding their own.

"Told you," Danielle said cheekily but again without malice. "Listen Mike, how do you want to play this?"

Something needed to change.

Mike thought for a moment and the option before him wasn't one he liked but he had little choice. He could tell from his own tactical map the Covenant forces were beginning to slide over towards the highway. If they gained that road they'd be able to move fast north and their objective would fail. Time was against them and they needed to broaden their front.

Sighing heavily the Lone Wolf said, "Okay Dani, you and your team push left, we'll fill the gap and push right."

"Will you be able to keep up?" the female Spartan asked, this time with no jest but an honest question since they could afford no breaks in the line.

"Yes, I'm going to realign my forces. We'll be able to push forward with you."

That seemed to satisfy Danielle so with a wave she moved on with her ODST contingent.

Mike swore anew, took a deep breath then opened a closed channel to those under his command. "All stations, listen up. New orders. Wolverine Actual, you will push all your elements forward on the following trace," Mike set the forward line for all to see, "Wolf Pack, will spread and provide support to this advance. We'll split into two fire teams. I'll take one, Wolf 2, you will take the second. Wolf Pack Recon you will skirmish out and look for targets of opportunity to disrupt enemy chain of command. All stations acknowledge now, over."

Captain McLynn acknowledge right away and Mike could see him setting waypoints for his platoon commanders. The members of the Wolf Pack around him physically dropped their heads in embarrassment knowing the reason for the order.

"Wolf Pack Lead this is Wolverine Two, request go to channel three, over," Gunny MacGregor requested in his thick brogue.

"What's up, Hank?" Mike asked, figuring he knew where it was going but playing dumb.

"Switching the order of march, sir?" MacGregor questioned. "Going to leave me boys pretty exposed. We're to be the support element."

"Can't be helped, Hank. We're falling behind and can't let the Covvies get away," Mike tried to explain.

"Well then give the wee bairns a kick in the arse and get them going," the feisty Scotsman shot back, understanding what was going on.

"It's not that easy, gunny," Mike shot back, his exasperation boiling over. "You've seen it. Most of them still haven't adjusted to their armor. We just can't meet the timetable in the lead."

"It's going to cost us a lot of good lads," MacGregor growled.

"I know Hank," Mike acknowledged. "You heard the Area Commander's orders. I have no choice. The Wolverines need to lead the way."

"Fine. I guess some things never change. Helljumpers lead the way. Feet first into hell." MacGregor terminated the conversation before Mike could respond though in reality there was nothing the frustrated Spartan could say.

In the end the UNSC advance got unstuck and the Covenant were pushed away from the Tsavo Highway. But the cost to the Wolverines was high.

**November 24, 2552, 1735****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

MacKenzie Wainwright felt better than he had in weeks. Spanner Misriah had been incredibly generous at the attempted espionage and had even hinted there may be a path of redemption back to the executive wing. He'd have to give up the ONI leadership he'd met with and for that he needed to get his datapad. But he had no affection for the woman who he knew was Captain Osman, Admiral Parangosky's aide who had tried to use him. It was only fair.

The man had a spring in his step as he left the lobby of the opulent building moving onto the busy street. He decided to walk since it was only a few blocks to where he still kept a condo, a reminder of his dedication to the company. A light dusting of snow had fallen and everything was sparkling white in the streetlight that had come on since darkness had enveloped the city. Much had gone on and the ambitious man began to ponder his path back to success, losing himself in thought.

Too late MacKenzie saw the two larger-than-average men with cold eyes blocking his path near the entrance to his building. Though there were dozens of people around he felt suddenly alone and vulnerable. He started to turn then felt a sharp prick in the back of his neck. Suddenly everything was starting to swirl and he found himself beginning to fall to the permacrete sidewalk of the busy road outside his condominium. MacKenzie Wainwright was dead before he hit the ground.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**November 25, 2552, 0815****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

Spanner Misriah sat quietly at his desk alone in his opulently appointed office rubbing his temples in fatigue. The owner of Misriah Armory had waited for several hours for MacKenzie Wainwright to return with the incriminating evidence against the Office of Naval Intelligence but he didn't return. The calculating business executive began to wonder if he was wrong in trusting the young man who'd once been one of his most trusted executives. If he'd decided to run rather than come clean he'd find him. The issue began to appear as one of almost being betrayed anew. So, after the wait he had one of his security team go to the young executive's home. MacKenzie wasn't there and it seemed as if he'd never gotten that far. It was well into the evening and he had other plans so he decided to find MacKenzie in the morning because what was a few hours?

Spanner Misriah was wrong.

In the morning the multi-billionaire had Niccolo do a search and was shocked and surprised to find out that rather than running MacKenzie Wainwright was dead. Immediately he had the Smart AI do an investigation of the nature and cause of death and so he sat, with a growing anger at what had happened and a growing suspicion as to what had happened.

His instincts were right, though considering where they sat it wasn't a big stretch.

"It was an ONI Kill Team from Section Zero that terminated Mr. Wainwright," Niccolo reported.

"Any you're certain of this?" Spanner asked, almost redundantly since he knew the truth of the answer.

"Yes sir. The coroner's report showed he died of an injection of pancuronium bromide, potassium chloride and midazolam. They also found a small puncture wound on the back of his neck. The police are treating it as a homicide and have opened an investigation. I would expect you to be contacted about this within the day."

"What else do you have?" Spanner asked, agitation growing.

"Mr. Wainwright's personal communications device was not on the body. All CCTV cameras in the block he was killed were off-line and just before the time of death there was a narrow band EMP burst that temporarily shut down all electronic devices in a four-block radius."

No one else but ONI could pull something like that off.

"Do you have ID's on who did it?"

"No," Niccolo confessed with a perturbed look on his face. "I do know that what was reported as a four-man ONI Security Detail flew in and out of New York yesterday. The manifests have been redacted and since my looking around the flights have been eliminated from the system. I have to admit I admire how thorough they were."

"Very well, what's done is done," Spanner declared forlornly, grieving the loss of the man he'd once thought of as nearly a son but one he'd allowed to fall from his graces which ultimately ended in this tragedy.

"I have reviewed and am already initiating changes to your personal security protocols," Niccolo declared breaking the man from his moment of reflection. "They may make an attempt on you."

"Thank you Niccolo," Spanner responded. He was still distraught over the news but impressed at the Smart Ai's initiative. "It's not likely though. As much as Margaret Parangosky hates me, I've also made myself pretty invaluable to the war effort."

"Well played sir," Niccolo responded with a note of admiration.

"Okay, well let's prepare for the visit from the police. Have Peter Slack standing by."

"Already done. Your lawyer's office is ready when needed."

"Good. I also want to speak to his family and offer them our fullest support for their son's funeral," Spanner instructed.

"But sir, he was a traitor to your company," Niccolo responded in surprise.

"Yes, but part of that is on me. He was a contributing member of Misriah Armory and he'll be remembered that way. Everything to do with what he did is to be pulled and firewalled. The man's dead. There's no reason to destroy his reputation."

"It shall be done, my lord," Niccolo answered with a note of confused respect in his voice. The old Spanner Misriah would have made all this very public to show what happened to someone who messed with him. _Perhaps these emotional humans can change and learn from their mistakes_, the Smart AI thought to himself.

The avatar of Niccolo disappeared and Spanner was again left with his thoughts. He felt sick to his stomach and then a thought hit him hard. How would he tell Natalia? He felt somehow responsible for the young man's death. And even worse, if ONI sent a hit squad to kill MacKenzie, what would they potentially do to her? He had to warn his daughter.

**November 25, 2552, 0830h****rs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

"And everything has been scrubbed and cleaned up?" Admiral Margaret Parangosky asked.

"Yes, everything is nice and tidy," the Smart AI Black Box reported, "though that pesky Niccolo did poke around and found out we had a security team in and out of New York. I have to admire the old boy's ingenuity," the cube-shaped avatar confessed with admiration.

"And we have all evidence that traces back to us?" Captain Osman interjected.

"Yes, his personal communication device and both datapads. Our team did a thorough sweep of the man's New York condo and his apartment here," Black Box confirmed though with a note of irritation for even being asked.

"What are next steps, admiral?" Osman asked.

"For now, I think all is well," Parangosky replied smugly. We'll see how things play out with dear Natalia who I'm sure will grieve the loss of her former suitor. We need to turn out attention to the UN and that pesky Ruth Charet. Any updates?"

"Public Affairs has been receiving requests for statements from you on the declaration. A couple of government agencies have been asking around as well," the head of ONI's personal assistant answered.

"And what about the UNSC?" Parangosky asked, with a nod of her head.

"Nothing, as to be expected," Osman answered. "The information you released right after the declaration seems to have given everyone there at least some cold feet."

"Good," the admiral responded with a note of satisfaction. The situation had the potential to blow up but now seemed to be becoming more manageable. "Now's the time to press Procurement then for more funding for our newest project."

"Admiral?" Osman asked in surprise at the bold move. She'd expected her boss to at least lay low for a while but once again misjudged how not only aggressive Margaret Parangosky could be but how shrewd.

"Of course, my dear Serin," giving her protégé a patronizing look that caused the Spartan II washout to wince, "we need to show that the Office of Naval Intelligence is humane and sensitive to the needs of the people. We've heard the message and are here to serve as we've always been. Let's bring our fourth gen project out of the darkness and into the light. Inform Jun of this."

_Yes, to serve yourself, as you've always done_, Black Box thought to himself but said instead, "Well played admiral! I will get the wheels of progress in motion."

**November 25, 2552, 0845****hrs**,** New Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

The sun was already up and the temperature rising despite being late fall. There was not a cloud in the sky which was a brilliant blue. Natalia barely noticed as she sat in the passenger seat of a Warthog driven by her personal escort, Lt. Ian Wilson.

The pair had returned to their base of operations the previous afternoon after their tour of the destroyed city so Lt. Wilson could find out where Mike was. They had then set out early in the morning to a location on the north-west edge of the city that had been set up as a staging area for troops moving out to the area to Voi and the most current spot of heavy fighting.

Natalia's heart beat heavily and she involuntarily licked her lips nervously in anticipation of seeing him again. The quick-thinking woman had rehearsed in her mind what she'd say and how she'd deal with a variety of anticipated responses. Once again, she was using her position to drop in on him which screamed of privilege and could cause distance yet she'd been sent to New Mombasa by her command and so he couldn't fault her for that. No, she hoped he'd be happy and so would the rest of the team. Regardless, she couldn't wait to see him, yet in her heart she had a sinking feeling things wouldn't turn out as planned.

She wasn't wrong.

Rolling up to the staging area they found it largely deserted other than a small security detail and a bunch of service support personnel going about their duties.

Lt. Wilson rolled up to a green modular tent that looked to be serving as the headquarters for operations there and jumped nimbly out of the Warthog, still trying to impress Natalia.

"Sir," Wilson threw up a salute to a captain with the name 'Cook' on his tactical vest. "This is Lt. Commander Misriah of ONI Sector Two, she has some questions for you."

"Ma'am," the middle-aged officer saluted Natalia in turn which made her feel uncomfortable since the look on his face showed what he thought of ONI, "what can I do for you?"

"Thank you for your time, captain," Natalia responded humbly, returning the salute and catching the dark-haired officer off guard. "I don't want to be a bother and will only take a minute. I'm wanting to connect with a Spartan special ops team that is staging out of here. They're designated as the Wolf Pack. Do you know their status?"

"Sorry, ma'am," Captain Cook responded genuinely, "they were in and out of here about two hours ago. They headed up the Tsavo in a small packet towards Voi."

"Okay, thanks for the information and your time, you have a good day," an obviously disappointed Natalia answered and turned away.

She and Lt. Wilson walked a few steps away from the headquarters when the Army officer said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, ma'am, if I'd known their time schedule I could have tried to get us here sooner."

"It's okay, Ian," Natalia responded, trying to quell her disappointment, "you did way more than you should have. I appreciate that."

"So, what now?" the eager junior officer asked, glad he wasn't in trouble.

"I don't know," Natalia replied with an unmotivated shrug, "I guess we head back to base."

Before Wilson could answer the air filled with the sound of a deafening explosion as a stockpiled stack of munitions exploded in a massive orange fireball. It was immediately followed by the hollow staccato of plasma rifle fire and the quick _chug chug chug_ of Needler rounds. But one didn't need to hear this as the air filled with the colorful but deadly sight of incoming plasma and needler rounds. Several other smaller explosions went off as several brute shot grenades rained down on the staging area.

The human defenders responded as best they could to the unexpected attack but were quickly overwhelmed as a horde of Grunts came screaming into the staging area followed by a pack of roaring Brutes. As the juggernaut began to work their way through the camp Jackals sniped from the periphery and another group of Jackals came charging in to form a pincer on the humans.

Natalia responded without thinking, drawing the M6C magnum in one fluid motion from its holster capped off four quick rounds to drop two Grunts that had been moving towards her after killing a flatfooted Army trooper. Lt. Wilson went down with a yelp, a needler round shot at short range went fortunately clean through his shoulder and he lay on the ground screaming in pain. Natalia moved to stand over the wounded officer protecting him from further harm. She ducked away from another burst of needler rounds and returned fire, hitting the Covenant shooter. She then coolly dropped to one knee and pivoted around firing controlled two round intervals at any who tried to come close to her or her wounded escort who now lay on the ground balled up.

Natalia emptied the twelve-round mag in her pistol and deftly released the empty and slapped in a fresh one, barely missing a beat. The woman was holding her own, scattering Grunts and keeping the Skirmishers at bay which drew the attention of a pair of Brutes. The massive Jiralhanae were incensed that a puny human female was holding their forces at bay so shifted their attention to her. Natalia turned just in time to see a pair of brute shot grenades soaring towards her. She dropped flat on top of Lt. Wilson to shield him at the projectiles soared over top of her to land several meters away. Fortunately, she was close enough to the cone of the blast that the shrapnel spray went up and over her though she couldn't hear anything as the concussion temporarily deafened her. Ears ringing, though she was okay physically the blast had caused her to lose her magnum and she was lying prone on the ground. With a barking laugh the two Grunts charged in to finish off the helpless pair. The roar of an M41 LAAG opening up could be heard even by the deafened Natalia as the Brutes seeking to end her life were shredded by armor-piercing rounds from two Warthogs that came roaring into the staging area leading a mixed group of Marines and ODSTs.

Moving in disciplined bounds and supported by the Marine's heavy weapons detachment the ODST Helljumpers began to systematically take back the camp. The Jackals immediately melted back into the shadows of the early morning sun knowing this fight was lost while the Grunts scattered in panic. The remaining Brutes sought to rally and held the UNSC tide for a time but the sheer weight of firepower arrayed against them was too much for the Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar Skirmishers who stood with them. Too late the Covenant forces attempted to separate themselves from the counter-attack and withdraw. Rather than concede the retreat the Helljumpers eager for revenge for the weeks of destruction in the region charged after them, slaughtering the Covenant forces in its entirety.

To ensure there were no more surprises to the staging area several ODST teams probed out to look for remnants of Covenant while the Marines established a new defensive perimeter. Meanwhile, medics began to tend to the wounded including Lt. Wilson who it turned out had had his pride hurt more than his body. The needler round had turned out to be a glancing blow causing only a superficial wound. As a field dressing was placed on his shoulder Wilson wanted to thank Natalia for saving his life but couldn't bring himself to speak and admit what had happened. For her part, Natalia said nothing but instead automatically scanned the periphery of the staging area, looking for threats. She understood the young man's dilemma as she'd felt the same way with Mike back on Reach. The old Natalia would have made a point of exploiting the man's discomfort but she wouldn't go there anymore. She really had changed.

Then the reflective woman saw a sight that brought her back to a place of her own discomfort.

Coming towards her with a look of recognition on his face was Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Stacker. The ODST NCO who went by Pete had led the team she'd connected with when she was seeking to bring Mike back to Noble Team on Reach. Carrying a slung BR55 service rifle his close-cropped brown hair and expressive blue eyes gave him away.

"Howdy, ma'am," Stacker greeted her in a friendly way though without saluting.

Natalia was frozen with fear and her own embarrassment at how she'd treated the seasoned combat veteran the first time they'd met. She wanted to apologize herself but didn't know how to so instead went for small talk. "Hi gunny. You still with 105 Shock?"

"Yep, still with 7th Battalion," Stacker confirmed then immediately changed subjects. "I just saw the Wolf this morning."

"You saw Mike? How's he doing?" Natalia exploded, all pretense put aside.

Stacker chuckled at the response which caused Natalia's face to turn red in embarrassment. Yet he didn't exploit the opportunity instead answering, "They'd just been in a tough fight, ma'am, took a lot of casualties."

Natalia's heart sunk. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Stacker shrugged. "Nature of the beast when you're the pointy end of the stick," he said in his light southern drawl, "and we're in a fight for our existence."

"I guess you're right, still sucks though," Natalia acknowledged. "Thanks for the info, gunny."

"No problem. Listen ma'am, I want to tell you something."

Natalia tensed. "Okay, shoot."

"I got you wrong on Reach. I thought you were a pampered brat hiding behind your name." Natalia winced openly but Stacker continued. "But I had some buddies on Mars and heard about your work there as a controller. They said they wouldn't have gotten out of alive if it hadn't been for your work there. You're alright."

Natalia's eyes filled with tears at the unexpected compliment. "Thanks gunny, that means more than you can imagine. But you had me pegged right," she confessed. "I was arrogant and often out of line when we met. I'm sorry for that. Things changed for me later on Reach and so when I had a chance to help out on Mars, I grabbed it."

"What changed?" the ODST senior NCO was drawn in.

"Mike."

Stacker chuckled. "Yea, the Wolf can have that effect on you."

"No," Natalia corrected, happy for the chance to share this, "he showed me a different way, that I could stand on my own two feet and be something more than the legacy of my name, that I could build my own legacy."

"Well, good on you ma'am for grabbing it," Stacker nodded his head approvingly. "Listen, good luck to you two. Me and the boys are pulling for you. I hope you get a chance to make it work. I shared the same thing with him."

"What did he say?" Natalia suddenly desperately wanted to know.

"What could he say?" Stacker responded with a shrug. "Command pushes those guys harder even then us so he's got a lot on his mind. But don't give up on him, ma'am, you two are good together."

"Thanks, I needed to hear that," Natalia responded.

"Good. Well, gotta run, see you around," the ODST NCO grinned and headed back to rejoin his squad.

Natalia smiled and felt her heart soar. She was different and things were changing.

"Who was that?" Lt. Wilson asked.

"An old friend," Natalia answered, not catching the hint of jealousy and lingering embarrassment in the logistics officer.

The pair returned in silence to their base of operations and the young officer would ask for a new assignment, no longer wanting to work with Natalia Misriah. For her part she was fine with that, she had other things on her mind.

Returning to her quarters she was surprised there'd been three calls from her father. Alarm rose up in the woman since her father never called. Though the middle of the night she knew she could, and should, call. Nervously, she grabbed her communication device and with shaking hands punched in his number.

"Daddy?" Natalia asked as they connected on the second ring. "I saw that you'd called. What's going on?"

Spanner's heart sunk at the sound of urgency in his daughter's voice. "I'll get right to the point. Mackenzie's dead."

"What?" Natalia exclaimed, stunned by the news. "I don't understand," her voice shook, "what happened?"

"I'm still trying to figure it all out myself," Spanner confessed, "but it's worse than that. He was murdered."

Natalia was shook to her core at the unexpected news. "Do you know by who?" she had a strong suspicion but was too scared to consider it.

"It was by ONI," her father declared.

Natalia's heart nearly exploded in shock and sudden fear. Involuntarily she looked over her shoulder. "ONI? How do you know? Are you sure?" she shot back nervously.

"I know, and I'm sure."

The now distraught woman who wore the uniform of that department of the UNSC took three deep breaths to calm herself. "What happened?" Natalia asked quietly.

"He got himself into some things he shouldn't and became a loose end that needed to be tied up," Spanner answered cryptically, not wanting to fully disclose what happened and ruin the man's reputation. He truly had changed. "I called because I wanted you to know and also to tell you to be careful."

"Why? Does it have anything to do with me?" Natalia perceptively asked.

"No, not this. But we do know that Margaret Parangosky has it in for us so we need to watch our step," Spanner stated honestly.

"Yea, I can see that," Natalia confirmed. "That's why I'm in Kenya." Then a thought occurred to the changed woman. "How are you? Are you okay daddy?"

"I'm doing okay, but it's tough," Spanner confessed, touched by the concern of his daughter. "It is hard though because I feel a certain degree of responsibility. I'd let things drift with MacKenzie and then this happens."

"Don't feel bad. I have a bigger responsibility in this than you do then," Natalia stated emphatically, being able to read between the lines.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. Listen, I need to go because there's a lot going on now but I'll try to connect with you tomorrow, if that's okay."

"Sure, that would be great. I'll talk to you soon." Natalia heard her father disconnect and was left with her thoughts. She'd never had any depth of feelings for MacKenzie, that had been the old woman who'd just used him for her personal amusement. The revelation didn't sit well with her. The initial response was it reminded her of who she'd once been which always made the sensitive woman uncomfortable, but the deeper revelation was what if it had been Mike? Her feelings were deep and real. She'd allowed her emotions to dictate much of their relationship and that needed to change. The disappointment of just missing him became even more bitter and her determination to see him again became even stronger.

Over one hundred kilometers up the Tsavo Highway Mike was reflecting back on the last day as he watched burned out Covenant and human vehicles on the side of the road, testimony to the ferocity of the fighting that had gone on for the area leading up to the city of Voi. But the brooding man's thoughts were not on what was to come but on what had happened the day previous. In the final assaults to clear New Mombasa the ODST Wolverines under his command had taken heavy casualties. Nearly one-third had been either killed or wounded in the surprisingly fierce fighting. In the end the Covenant forces left had chosen to fight to the death rather than try to escape. Those numbers would be sobering enough but they were made more bitter by the fact the Wolf Pack and their inability to effectively transition to the use of their Mjolnir armor was the reason. No one had said anything, and logic dictated that the fact they'd not been given sufficient training and had been thrown into combat after only hours of preparation rather than the requisite days spoke to the reasons but that did little to assuage the sense of guilt the teenage Spartans and their leader felt.

Mike had run into Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker, an old friend from Reach, and they'd had the chance to talk which was nice. Still, it had gotten him thinking about Natalia and that had led him to a renewed sense of frustration. Plus, Melanie had been uncharacteristically quiet and sullen. It was beginning to become more than the man could take. He'd worked hard to throw off the idea of being the Lone Wolf and to open his heart and now it was doing nothing but causing him distractions and heartache.

Each of the Spartans in the team had kept their helmets on, not wanting to be seen after what had happened and the ride thus far had been in silence as each was left with their conflicted thoughts. But it was obvious from the body language of each there was an explosive tension building that would eventually pop.

It was finally Adam who spoke.

"Guys, I know we're all thinking the same thing so let's get it out in the open," the teen with blond hair that was naturally tightly curled exclaimed. "We're not pulling our weight here and its starting to get people killed. We need to get better."

"Yea? Well it's not fair we get thrown into this with armor we still don't know how to used properly," Matt retorted bitterly, punching the side of the transport vehicle, denting it.

"Don't matter, we're letting our side down," Alissa retorted bitterly. "We need to get our shit together and fast for what's coming up."

"Any suggestions?" Matt shot back. "Since you're not doing any better than the rest of us."

"Don't you think I know that?" Alissa yelled angrily, sitting upright to face off with her teammate.

"Listen, we're all in this together," Maia interjected, "we can find a way to figure this out, together."

The quietest member of the team's comment and the fact that she was the only one who had been able to fully integrate with the new armor system yet hadn't exploited that fact spoke volumes. The others calmed down and they began to brainstorm and swap ideas of how they could improve and once again be an asset.

Mike watched all this unfold quietly. Maia and now Adam were handling the conversation and the thoughts coming out were excellent. He was wise enough to know not to mess with that so let it flow. He was proud of his team again but he also had a sense of foreboding for what lay ahead as Voi and the main battle for Africa came increasingly closer.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**November 26, 2552, 0730****hrs**,** "The Crow's Nest", Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

Mike, Captain McLynn, and Gunny MacGregor were being briefed in by the area commander on the situation in the Voi theatre of operations and where their initial deployment would be. Melanie was already out doing reconnaissance of the area. Though not ordered she seemed to want to be alone. The woman had of late started to keep to herself and interact less with the team. That left the remainder of the Wolf Pack and Wolverines to stew.

They'd arrived less than thirty minutes earlier at a UNSC base known as 'the Crow's Nest'. The base was located inside Chawia Hill which was part of a geographic feature in the area called the Taita Hills. The Hills was a Precambrian mountain range consisting of three main mountains, the tallest rising over 2,200 meters. The humid forests surrounding the mountains held many unique flora and fauna and also held a large nature preserve dating back to the 20th century. Sitting about 24 kilometers from Voi and only a few kilometers north of the Tsavo Highway the Crow's Nest was a perfect staging area for the UNSC forces who'd been fighting the Covenant forces undertaking a massive excavation of the city. Though underground and so able to protect the troops lodging there from aerial and orbital bombardment it was actually somewhat of a frustrating place to those who were working there. Built in the 20th century for the United Nations its age dictated it required constant maintenance and the outdated technology meant things like door controls didn't work as smoothly or regularly like many would like. Still, for a scratch defensive position it was fine though if severely tested it would likely fall. Luckily, the Covenant in the area had been content to fight thus far defensively, focusing on their dig around Voi.

The history and strategic value of the base was lost on the teen Spartans of the Wolf Pack who continued to struggle over what had happened the previous day. The usual friendly interaction between the Spartans and ODSTs of the Wolverines had given way to an icy silence as the operator's resentment grew.

Helmet off, Terrell motioned to Maia and said, "Come on."

The pair moved from where the Wolf Pack lethargically waited for their CO's return. They crossed the floor of the concrete garage bay the two teams had been waiting in for orders to stand before the Wolverines.

All eyes were fixed on the teens.

"Listen guys, we want to apologize to you for what happened yesterday," Terrell began genuinely.

"Yes, we know we've not been carrying our weight and that's cost you," Maia added, maintaining eye contact with the group. "We're sorry for letting you all down."

"Not your fault, an ODST sergeant with a bandage on his face responded graciously, "it's just shit happens."

"Thank you," Maia sincerely said in response, "but our inability to adapt to our new armor has been a detriment to our effectiveness and that impacted you. We wanted you to know we'll do better going forward. We're a team and so we want to be an asset."

A corporal who'd been scowling at them since their debarkation from transport finally softened his expression. "That's appreciated. It's all good. We're in this together. The Covvies are our enemy, not you guys. You do what you need to do to get squared away. We got your back."

That declaration broke the ice and thick tension melted away. The Spartans chatted with the Helljumpers for several more minutes and they were even able to come up with some ideas for how things could improve. They were once again a team.

"Well played," Alissa congratulated the pair as they returned to group, the tension in the room bleeding away.

"It was the right thing to do," Terrell responded with a shrug.

"Regardless, great job," Adam agreed, stepping into the conversation. "Listen, I don't know how long we have before Mike comes back but let's get up and run through some drills and simulations with the armor. We can get this right."

They all looked over to Matt who'd been silent thus far. The burly assaulter nodded his head in agreement and said to the rest, "Good idea Adam. We need to get off our heels and get back in the game."

While the teen Spartans didn't have a lot of time before Mike returned, they used it well and things actually started to click.

The Lone Wolf walked into the bay in a sullen mood but then the sight of his team spontaneously and of their own initiative trying to get better in the armor gave him great encouragement and a renewed optimism things might actually work out. He sat and watched them for ten minutes and then interrupted. It was time to get back into the war and that didn't wait for training.

That happened in less than an hour.

A report had been received in the Crow's Nest that the Covenant were starting to more aggressively push out from their defensive ring and so the Wolf Pack was sent out to ascertain the situation and intervene if needed. The Wolverines would stay back on this one to allow the Helljumpers time to regroup but they would still be in the fight, a necessity of need for numbers in the increasingly desperate struggle.

With Matt on the point the team moved off the beaten path to try to get an angle on the Covenant forces they knew to be out there though their HUDs showed nothing. Despite it being mid-morning and the sun being high in the sky and bright the ground was dusky due to the dense foliage canopy overtop. Thick, moss covered trees likely several hundred years old filled the terrain. The ground was mostly rock and dirt though green moss and lichen covered much of it as well as large leafy ferns. It was a lush green environment. The air was humid and little holes of water dotted the landscape as well. In the distance the sound of a waterfall could be heard. It was an idyllic place, much different for the Spartans than the concrete and steel of Cleveland. It would have been a nice place for a walk and to collect one's thoughts if there wasn't a deadly enemy seeking to destroy them. He was also reminded of the cost of war as he moved around a 25-meter-tall piece of debris from the collapsed Mombasa Space Teether that had been destroyed during the initial invasion.

Matt gripped his M45 tactical shotgun tight as he surveyed the ground before him. He simultaneously scanned his HUD knowing the technology couldn't always be trusted. A lot rode on this tasking psychologically since all of the Spartans wanted to get a feeling of being back in control of the battle space. He jumped over a moss-covered log to keep moving as some creature in the jungle trilled in alarm while another let out a mournful wail in the distance. Something was disturbing the environment besides them.

"Wolf Pack, this is Crow's Nest Control, be advised you have hostiles in your grid, over."

"Roger, that," Mike responded for the team, tension rising.

Matt saw a splash of red come onto the outer edge of his HUD but then disappear. He held up his fist to signal a halt though he could have used the comms. The rest of the team dropped into a defensive position.

The sizzle of green plasma bolts filled the air disturbing the serene environment as the Spartan's HUDs lit up with red splotches.

"Contact! Eleven o'clock!" Matt called out as he was hit with several plasma bolts. He reflexively fired his shotgun back at the team of Grunts who'd shot him though he was out of range and hit nothing but ferns and a scrub tree. The aggressive teen flinched involuntarily at the three supercharged plasma rounds that hit him, waiting to feel the searing pain of being burned but nothing happened. He then realized his armor had absorbed the shots and he was perfectly fine. Unconsciously he looked at his armor status indicator and already saw the overshield recharging. It was an epiphanal moment for the member of the Wolf Pack who'd struggled the most with the armor. He could count on it. The often-belligerent teen realized in a nano-second he'd been the one to be skeptical and not work with the armor. Yes, he had trust issues, but now he would admit it here. It was time to do some damage.

"Let's go!" Matt bellowed, standing up and charging the cluster of Unggoy who reacted too late. The power-assisted armor allowed the assaulter to cover the gap quickly and he took a pair out with two quick 8-guage magnum shells.

"Wolf Pack!" the others yelled and joined in the fray.

The Spartans pushed through a screen of Grunts who shrieked in dismay scattering in all directions. Maia hit the methane tank of one with a well-aimed shot causing it to explode in a green puff creating even more confusion. Four Jackals snapped their energy shields open and formed a wall from behind which they began a withering fire. While three had plasma pistols and peppered the advancing Spartans the fourth had a T-31 needle rifle. Firing on full auto the steady _chug chug chug_ of the crystalline explosive projectiles first hit Matt then Maia, draining the shields and causing a pause as the teens had to pull back behind some large moss-covered boulders. But Terrell, with Adam covering him, dropped to the lichen covered ground and opened fire with his GPMG overcharging two of the shields and shredding a pair of the Kig-Yar. Mike then came out of nowhere from the flank and beat the squawking avians with the butt end of his assault rifle. It was an effective albeit vicious interaction.

The Wolf Pack seemed in control of the skirmish and was looking to push forward when with a roar a Brute captain along with three clansmen came charging into the battle from the shadows of several thick trees. The first one fired two quick grenades from its brute shot landing near Terrell. The explosion, though pell-mell, threw the machine gunner into a nearly rock. Even shielded the force stunned him and he lay motionless.

Adam froze for a moment in surprise at the sight of the Brutes which made him a target for the next one who fired several superheated ionized rounds of plasma at him from a brute plasma rifle. The teen took the salvo full force which drained his shield. As the alarm claxon went off the stunned teen was able to drop and roll out of the way as a flurry of needler rounds flew in and blew into the rock he'd been standing in front.

Mike saw the danger to his team and swung into action, throwing a grenade with one hand and firing his assault rifle with the other. Though he didn't hurt the hulking Jiralhanae he did disrupt their attack causing them to redirect their focus towards the Lone Wolf.

_Adam, get up, get up!_ The teen screamed at himself in his mind. He felt like he was in thick mud. His body reacted but slower. The fear and anxiety of the unexpected encounter with the Brutes caused everything to grind to a halt. He looked and saw Mike charge in bull-rushing one of the 1,500 pounds behemoths knocking it off balance and then start to grapple with another. _Do something!_ He screamed at himself but still he couldn't move. Then he saw the Brute Captain with distinctive gold winged helmet come up behind Mike, gravity hammer raised, preparing to stove his commander's head in.

"No!" Adam screamed audibly this time coming through his external speaker, causing the captain to check his movement. The teen Spartan let off a burst of fire from his assault rifle. Though the rounds bounced off the Brute's armor that got the attacker's attention.

A loud _crack_ filled the air and the captain's head jerked back, then again with another _crack _as two 14.5x114mm armor piercing rounds fired from Alissa who'd gotten into a good position on a rock outcrop slammed into the Brute's head. It was dead before it hit the ground.

By this time Matt and Maia's shields had recharged and they re-entered the battle, concentrating fire on the closest Brute whose deep bass scream of death echoed in the densely treed area.

The third Brute, enraged by the killing of its two clansmen instead of firing its brute shot which could have caused damage furiously charged towards the Spartans. Mike had deftly gotten back to his feet so he could sidestep the beast though he stuck out an armored boot causing the off-balance Jiralhanae to trip and fall flat onto its face. The Lone Wolf then mercilessly emptied a half-mag from his assault rifle into the back of the Brute's head causing it to explode in brains and gore.

And just like that the jungle began to quiet anew, save for the echoing of panicked Grunts running away as fast as they could.

"Everyone good?" Mike called out urgently, looking around for all of his team. "SITREP?"

"Wolf 4 is good, standing by on overwatch," Alissa reported first

"I'm good," Maia confirmed, surveying the perimeter."

"Wolf 6, yea, we kicked ass," Matt whooped, "then added, "and I think I'm finally getting the hang of this bloody armor," he added causing the others to chuckle, while Maia who stood beside him placed her fingers in a side V on her helmet, the Spartan signal for a smile.

"I'm okay, a little bruised and shaken, but good," Terrell reported," the gel layer saved me from more damage. But the G-Pig, is gone," he added, seeing his machine gun had been destroyed by a grenade.

All eyes turned to Adam, including Mike who had seen the hesitation and watched for the teen's reply.

"I froze…I'm…I'm sorry…. sir, you need to pull me and put Melanie back in," Adam reported miserably, "I'm a liability to the team."

Before Mike could speak both Matt and Alissa spoke up.

"Bull, you had only a moment of hesitation then snapped back in," Alissa contradicted him. "You were in the fight."

"It's no worries, we can work through this," Matt added. "It's all good, we kicked ass out."

Mike had been about to agree with the blond-haired teen's assessment of how he'd done and was wondering if his 2ic should be pulled but the response of the two most volatile members of the team gave him pause for thought. He'd need to consider what happened but the response of the team told him they'd get through it.

Key for this encounter was for the first time since they'd gotten their new Mjolnir armor they'd functioned like a well-oiled fighting machine and had prevailed. No, for the first time since they'd gotten the armor Mike became comfortable everything would work out. "Okay, we're at the end of our patrol arc, we do a tactical withdrawal back to base. Well done Wolf Pack."

The rest howled in pure joy.

**November 26, 2552, 0915h****rs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

"Madame secretary," Margaret Parangosky said to Ruth Charet the head of the UN who she'd finally allowed a video call to come in from, "let me remind you of the very real situation going on now. Covenant forces are entrenched and actively engaged at several points on Earth and we have intel to suggest another enemy fleet is evident and inbound. Why do you continue to press a point that only agitates people and makes no material difference when these same people hang on the edge of annihilation?"

"Admiral, I understand your sentiments but the two shouldn't be inter-related," the woman adjusted her wire-framed glasses nervously. "I know where we stand but again it's at times such as these we need to consider what we want to be remembered for."

"That is IF we're around to be remembered," Parangosky snapped back, a rare moment of impatience showing through the usually collected officer. "I've stated we're looking into what can be done and not hurt operational efficiency and that will have to suffice. Good day, Ruth."

"But wait, I…." But the secretary-general of the United Nations was surreptitiously cut off in mid-sentence and the screen she'd been on went black as the commander of ONI hung up. She had other more pressing matters to attend to.

A brown haired, brown-eyed middle-aged uniformed man in a power-assisted wheelchair sat with an amused look on his hard face waiting for the admiral to finish her call and when it ended waited patiently for CINCONI to speak. Though his body was crippled he seemed to possess a fearless attitude despite whose office he sat in.

Margaret Parangosky, irritated she'd shown such emotion before a subordinate closed off communications. Resetting herself she then ensured her office was secure from any surveillance before she spoke. "What do you have for me, Commander Musa?" the scheming woman asked with unusual anticipation.

Commander Musa Ghanem, or Musa-096, was a former Spartan II candidate whose augmentation process had gone terribly wrong. His body had been destroyed and he'd nearly died. Though still angry at his abduction as a child and bitter at the immorality of the whole program, unlike Serin Osman, he saw the need for the Spartan supersoldiers. So, he'd developed and proposed another way of doing it. Since then he'd been working secretly with ONI Section III on the Spartan IV project.

"The results of the latest round of tests were excellent though we still need to tweak things a bit," Musa reported impassively.

"And what does Jun think?" the admiral asked.

"He would concur. I've already loaded his after-action report on the latest training exercise to your file," Musa reported. The whole time the man's chiseled face was a mask of granite. Though his body was broken he still seemed fit and strong.

"Excellent, commander. Well done," Parangosky congratulated the man.

"Thank you, ma'am," the former Spartan II responded without emotion.

"Are we at the point where we can start to go public with this?" Parangosky asked with an unusual note of concern in her voice.

Musa noted the tone but didn't respond to it "The UN statement and Misriah's meddling starting to bring some heat down on the office?" the man surmised.

"Correct."

"We still need more work but the latest tests we did in simulation versus Marines went well for the most part. Jun and I could start working up a proposal within 48 hours for your review," Musa reported confidently.

A buzzer went off and Captain Osman's voice came over an internal comm link. "Admiral Hood's on your private line. He insists he needs to talk to you."

Margaret Parangosky noted the annoyance in her aide's voice at not being included in this meeting but the shrewd reader of people also knew Serin Osman resented Musa's position so kept the two apart as much as possible. "Very well, Serin, I'll be with him in a moment."

The admiral closed off that conversation and turned again to the no-nonsense former Spartan. "Good, start working it up. I want a first draft in my hands by the end of the week. We can turn this situation to our advantage. It's time to start to bring the Spartan IV project into the light."

"Very good, ma'am," Musa confirmed. Then with a crisp salute he turned his wheelchair and rolled out of the office.

"Hello, Terrence," Parangosky greeted Fleet Admiral Lord Hood over the video call she opened. "How goes the war?"

"You know as well as I do," Hood shot back in a state of irritation, his deeply lined face scrunched up in frustration.

"The UN?"

"Yes, the UN and now the damned press," Hood exploded. "They're all over my office about this Spartan thing. It's starting to create a distraction and pressure on the whole Spartan program. We don't have time for this."

"Really, what can they do?" Parangosky tried to assure the nervous senior officer remembering her conversation minutes earlier. Though the two clashed often she really did like the honorable sailor.

"Dammit Margaret, the UN is trying to tie our hands," Hood retorted. "They've got some in the UEG now breathing down the neck of the UNSC. We don't have time for this crap."

"Be patient Terrence, what can they do?" Parangosky responded confidently.

"But they're right," Hood answered in frustration with also a note of embarrassment. "We have cut corners and done things none of us are proud of. It's just not the time for this to come to light, not when we're hanging on by our fingernails."

"Don't go soft on me now," Parangosky stated testily.

"And you don't be so pretentious, Margaret," Hood shot back. We also need resolve from the people and their trust, at this time more than ever. We need to respond in a united way, not this piece-meal interdepartmental BS."

"Okay, well then we respond," the admiral replied placidly, catching the old warrior off guard.

"All right…," Hood paused to collect his thoughts, readjusting after the unexpected response. "so, what do you mean?"

"We acknowledge the importance of the Spartans and remind people of what they've done in the fight," the cagey woman answered. "Hell, let's make the Master Chief into a public hero. Then…."

"Then we make them invaluable to the war effort," Hood answered the question, admiring anew the sharp-thinking head of ONI. "And that will shift public opinion to our side."

"And, of course, we make some concessions in terms of the Spartans too. Everyone wins," Parangosky stated.

"And we neuter the UN and keep the UEG out of the mix," Hood nodded his head approvingly.

"Exactly."

"Works for me," the head of FLEETCOMM stated. "Can you take care of this?"

"With very little effort Terrence," the scheming woman declared with a broad grin.

The videocon ended but Margaret Parangosky was still angry and needed to do something to someone to show the world not to mess with ONI. She considered eliminating Ruth Charet but was too smart for that. Spanner Misriah? He'd already hardened his defenses. That only left Natalia.

"Black Box," she called out. This was something she wouldn't share with Serin Osman. Despite the former Spartan's bluster Parangosky wasn't sure she would really understand.

"Here, admiral," the Smart AI responded, appearing over her desk.

"What Section III security assets do we have in place in Kenya?" the decidedly un-grandmotherly woman asked.

It took less than a second to reply. "None for what you're likely anticipating," Black Box answered. "All were lost last month when New Mombasa was attacked."

The admiral didn't contradict the assumption. "What about off-book independent operators?"

"The closest asset is in Egypt," Black Box reported the location of the assassin.

"Very well. I know the one. Activate him and send him to Kenya," Parangosky ordered. "When he's in play let me know and I'll personally give the order. This is for my eyes only, understand?"

"Are you certain of this, admiral, at a time such as this?" Black Box asked. Though the Smart AI came in the form of a dark-blue cube so had no expression the tone of voice betrayal that it was disgusted by the order.

"Just do what I say," Parangosky snapped back.

"As you wish it. Message sent." Black Box then disappeared without being dismissed.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**November 26, 2552, 1805****hrs**,** "The Crow's Nest", Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

Mike sat on a concrete bench, tired but satisfied. The team had stood down for the night after a full day of patrolling and cat-and-mouse skirmishes in the jungle. Now back at the UNSC's base of operations he and the rest of the Wolf Pack could relax knowing they were secure in a hardened defensive perimeter. He'd checked in with Captain McLynn and Gunny MacGregor and the Wolverines seemed to be in decent spirits and ready to get back in the fight. He appreciated the resiliency of the Helljumpers and was glad there wasn't any remaining resentment.

Waiting now for their turn to enter the crowded mess hall the thoughtful man allowed his gaze to go across the corridor to the faded symbol on the wall opposite. For some reason he knew it to be the emblem of the United Nations from the 20th century. How he knew escaped him, just more of the bank of trivial information he'd accumulated over the past decade or so. But it did make him connect the concept that this structure was around 500 years old. Though the technology was dated it still served its function, a testimony to resiliency in the brutal grind of time. The thought stuck in his mind and he pondered it.

For so long Mike had a fatalism about the length of his life as a Spartan and then on top of that was the question of could humanity survive the onslaught of the Covenant. Yet this structure had stood for centuries, tucked in the jungle of Kenya. How many had passed through this place over the same centuries thinking the same thing? And yet humanity remained as this structure remained. It had a story and by extension so did he. He carried the legacy of his ancestor who'd lived in that same 20th century and had survived the very first alien invasion of Earth. Had he wondered how long his life would last? How long humanity would stand? Likely. And yet he'd ended up finding love and the peace of a family and life outside of war. His legacy had remained over the centuries and had driven his father into service and he as well. A trio of Marines walked past him towards the mess hall for dinner and each nodded deferentially to the Spartan as looks of hope lit up their faces. He didn't know any of them and they didn't know him yet his very presence was an encouragement. That was legacy, that was something that would last through the centuries. No, Mike was building something, his life was leaving a ripple in the pond of time and what he did mattered. Yes, he was a player in a great cosmic drama but he also had the opportunity to choose how that would play out. He was not a puppet on a string, or even merely an agent of the state, he was a man with hopes and dreams. And that's what drove him now.

The reflective supersoldier's thoughts were interrupted by Melanie who came down the hallway and sat on a bench across from him. She removed her Recon helmet and gazed at him with a hard look on her face.

"Where've you been?" Mike asked, a bit harsher than he felt since her look didn't sit right with him. "We could have used you today."

"I've been out all day on a recce," she replied, her face neutral.

"Yea, but you're supposed to be working with us," Mike stated, an irrational irritation starting to grow.

The attractive female Spartan shrugged nonchalantly. "Command tasking. That takes priority."

"That's bull, Mel," Mike shot back. "If you'd been retasked I would have been informed. You're part of my chain of command."

"Situations fluid," she answered unconvincingly.

"Come on, Mel, level with me," Mike pleaded, his tone changing as he began to suspect something was amiss.

"I don't know…" Melanie confessed, her gaze dropping to the concrete floor. "Things are just weird. This stuff…between us…I just don't know what to think or how to act." She paused and then looked up with a new resolve in her eyes. "For years I felt in control and ever since I've reconnected with you I feel like I have too many areas I have no control over."

"Listen, I don't mean to….," Mike began but was cut off.

"Let me finish, Michael," Melanie cut him off. "It's not you, it's me. Seeing you, some of the times we've had together, it's awakened in me something I didn't know was there. I want something with you, I want something from you…. I'm just not sure how to get it. I…I…"

This time she was cut off as the comm link in Mike's helmet which sat on his lap went off.

"Wolf Pack Actual this is Blowtorch Main, stand by for priority comm link, over."

"Acknowledged Blowtorch, Wolf Pack Actual ready and standing by," Mike confirmed.

"Mike?" a familiar voice came over his helmet speaker

"Tali?" Mike answered in shock. Instinctively he grabbed his helmet and stuffed it on his head but before he could concentrate, he saw Melanie's eyes flash angrily as she got up and walked away.

"Are you there, Mike?"

"Yea, I am," he answered but then in confusion asked, "but, how are you? This is a theatre comms frequency."

"I'm in New Mombasa right now," she answered excitedly.

"What? How?" Mike asked incredulously.

"Long story short, I think Admiral Parangosky is trying to get me killed," she answered almost gleefully.

"Excuse me?" Mike shot back.

"Command sent me here on a bogus fact-finding mission. It seems I'm supposed to be exposed to the action and then, who knows…." she let her voice trail off at the implication.

"Are you okay? What's happened?" Mike was all confusion and mixed emotions. Part of him wanted to grab a Warthog and drive back but he knew he couldn't.

"It's all good, Mike. I can take care of myself. I had a good teacher," Natalia gushed.

"I'm glad you're okay, but watch out for yourself," Mike declared with concern in his voice.

"I will. You're sweet, Mike. I won't keep you, I just wanted to let you know I was here. I was hoping we'd connect but apparently you've moved off towards Voi."

"How did you find that out?" Mike asked suspiciously, conscious of operational security but then realized, "Oh right, ONI."

"No silly, actually I ran into Gunny Stacker earlier today and he told me," she retorted with a giggle instead of irritation.

"Sorry," the Spartan responded sheepishly.

"Don't be. I've given you lots of reasons in the past to not trust me. I wanted to let you know I was in theater and that I love you. I've been in a bit of a fog the last few weeks but now things are getting clearer. So, if I see you that's great, but I'm not going to manipulate the process to make it happen. I just wanted you to know how much I care about you. I love you Mike, I think I got distracted from that with everything going of late."

Mike was shocked at the declaration and also certainty of feeling of the beautiful billionaire's daughter. She could have anything she wanted; she could have anyone she wanted. He'd treated her poorly and even allowed his affections to be tested. And yet she still loved him. It was time to step across the line and be the man his legacy dictated.

"Mike?" Natalia asked, conscious of the pause.

"Here, sorry," he apologized. "I love you too, Tali. And I'm sorry for being such an ass lately. I do love you; I think more than I understand even. But…but, I want this to work. I don't know how with all this crap going on, but I want it to."

"I'm glad, and me too," Natalia declared. "We'll find a way if our hearts are in the right place."

"You're right." Mike had renewed hope. "We can overcome any obstacle between us." Then with a renewed spirit of urgency declared, "I hope we can connect sometime soon."

"I'm pretty sure out paths will cross again, it seems to be our fate," Natalia declared confidently. "I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"I love you too and I can't wait," Mike said genuinely.

Legacy.

_Are you kidding me?_ Melanie declared to herself as she stormed down the corridor. _I'm about to tell him what I'm feeling and 'little miss privilege' is able to just drop him a line? This is bull. I'm so done with all this._

The Spartan moved aggressively causing those in her way to part, knowing to not get in the agitated woman's way.

Natalia hung up and immediately pumped her fist in the air. "Yes!" she called out in triumph. For the first time the woman felt the two of them were as one and on the same path. Her initial pledge to not work this dangerous situation to her advantage flew out the window. Mike loved her, he'd declared that plainly and without reservation. That was all that mattered. Admiral Parangosky wanted her in harm's way? Well, the confident woman would comply. It was time to find a seat on the next resupply convoy up the Tsavo Highway to the front at Voi.

Back at the Hive in Sydney, Australia, Black Box appeared before Admiral Parangosky. The head of ONI sent Serin Osman from her office in mid-meeting. Her aide gave the woman a strange look as she complied but knew not to question the cunning elderly woman.

"The asset his arrived in New Mombasa, admiral," the Smart AI reported. "What are your orders?"

"Termination with extreme prejudice," Parangosky replied with an evil grin. "Collateral damage is authorized if necessary."

"Are you sure of this, admiral?" Black Box asked, not masking its disgust at the order.

Margaret Parangosky paused uncharacteristically for a moment. Why did she hate Natalia Misriah so much? Was it that she was a threat to ONI? Or to her own position of strength? No. Was it her father's meddling? No, that was being turned to her advantage. Was it her youth and good looks? No, she'd once had that and now enjoyed the fruits of older age. What was it then? Was it that she'd found true love despite the war and the great divide between her and the Spartan? That was a question the bitter woman wouldn't answer. "Just send the order," she barked.

"Done," Black Box confirmed with disgust and again disappeared without being dismissed.

**November 27, 2552, 0955****hrs**,** "The Crow's Nest", Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

"Wolf Pack Actual, this is Black Crow Main, prepare to receive priority retasking, over," the communication's director from the Crow's Nest ordered to Mike over the TACNET.

The Wolf Pack had begun the day early, being sent out before 0600 hours as sensors had been picking up growing concentrations of Covenant forces and several firefights had broken out already in the region. The Wolverines and other Special Operations forces had been sent out in a sweeping arc to assess what was going on and seek to slow the invader's progress. Rumors had been circulating of a new Covenant fleet arriving anytime and an imminent counter-attack so all were on a razor's edge.

"Roger that, Black Crow Main, Wolf Pack Actual standing by," Mike acknowledged.

"Wolf Pack Actual, switch to secure channel Delta-2, over."

Mike switched to a private communications channel, curious as to what was going on. "This is Wolf One."

"Mike, I need you and your team back at the Crow's Nest, pronto," the voice of Colonel Holland, their controller declared.

"Sir, no can do," Mike countered. "We're tracking and preparing to engage a major Covenant force moving up to the wire."

"I know that son, I can read sensor data too," Holland replied dryly. "Something big's coming and I need you back right away to get briefed in. Other elements will cover your trace."

Mike paused for a moment to consider the order. He knew they were literally only hundreds of meters from contact but he also trusted their commander and knew he wouldn't pull them without an important reason. Time for him to show he was part of the process and not merely the 'Lone Wolf'. "Copy that sir, we're on our way in."

The leader of the Wolf Pack gave the order which none questioned and moved

with haste back to the Crow's Nest. The trip back was swift, each having a sense of anticipation for what was to come. The thought that something big was coming was further amplified as the Marines guarding the entrance were obviously distracted by something as the foursome looking out to the jungle were talking excitedly. The teenage Spartans had trouble understanding what was being said but one phrase from an excited Marine that was clear was, "Did you see the size of him?"

Their curiosity was answered a short time later when they entered a large concrete hanger bay with a recently-arrived Pelican where a group of Marines were standing in awe at a distance from a large hulking, armored Spartan. Even from this distance Mike could tell this was a Spartan II but he found his heart beginning to beat a little bit faster as he came to realize just what Spartan this was. In dull green MJOLNIR Mark VI armor, it could only be the legendary Master Chief, John-117. As if realizing he was being stared at, he turned to face the Wolf Pack as they advanced.

"Holy shit, it really is him," Matt exclaimed over the TEAMCOMM.

"Man, those II's are big," Terrell added.

"Be still my beating heart," Alissa piped in and no one could tell whether she was serious or joking.

"All right, settle down," Mike cut them off, trying not to appear jealous, or was it in intimidation of the famous supersoldier?

The team moved into the Master Chief's perimeter while he stood looking at them impassively through the golden visor on his helmet.

"Mike-B312," Mike extended his armored hand.

"John-117," Master Chief replied, taking it and shaking.

"I know who you are, Master Chief, I think everyone does," Mike confessed.

"And I know who you are, sir," Chief replied. "You've been doing good work over the years." Then his tone changed. "I was sorry to hear about Noble Team. I barely got off Reach myself. But I see you have your own team now," he observed in his gravelly voice, "outstanding."

The teens of the Wolf Pack beamed at the recognition by the legendary Spartan.

"Nothing that I hate more than a mutual admiration society," an African American Marine sergeant major with hard black eyes deadpanned, taking a draw on the Sweet William cigar he held between his teeth.

"You jealous, Sergeant Johnson?" Chief shot back.

"Hmmm," Johnson grunted back derisively.

Then dropping the playful façade, the Master Chief got down to business. "We're about to be briefed in but what have you got? We had to fight our way in to get here."

Mike appreciated the famous Spartan's down-to-business attitude. "The latest intelligence we have is that the Covenant have reinforced their position not far from here but have started pushing out. Intel believes they're about to activate some kind of Forerunner artifact they've been unearthing. If the signals traffic we've intercepted and deciphered is to be believed they're likely right."

"The Covenant fleet I came in on is here to support this dig so it seems to give support to this idea," Chief declared matter-of-factly.

"Excuse me?" Mike countered in shock. "The Covenant fleet you came in on? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I hitched a ride and they were nice enough to drop me off," Chief replied referring to the freefall he'd undertaken earlier in the morning.

"Which means?" Mike pressed.

"That means time is of the essence and not to be used on foolish questions," a deep bass voice said from behind.

The group turned to look face-to-face with an Elite in dull gold armor.

"What the?" Matt choked out as all the Wolf Pack brought their weapons up and prepared to engage.

"Stand down, Spartans," Master Chief ordered, "it's okay."

"What do you mean?" Mike spat out. "This is an Elite."

"Yes, but he's on our side," Chief tried to explain.

"How many have you murdered?" Alissa spat out. "How many worlds have you glassed?" She gripped her sniper rifle tight.

"Steady there," Chief sought to de-escalate the tension of the situation. "Things have changed."

"How? How have they changed?" Mike retorted, seeing the images of his dead teammates of Noble Team on Reach.

Master Chief started to speak but was cut off by the proud Sangheili warrior. "We were lied to by our Prophets who tricked us into this war of extermination. I am Thel 'Vadam and I am known as the Arbiter now. My mission is to free my people from their enslavement and end this cursed war."

"We really don't have time for this right now," Master Chief cut in. "but let me try to explain. There's been a civil war going on and the Elites have been supplanted by the Brutes. They've seen the light and have switched sides. I know it's hard to believe but the Arbiter and I have been working together lately. You're going to have to trust me on this one, Mike."

Mike paused, still stunned by the development but it did make sense. He'd not seen an Elite since Reach which had been a strange thing. And the reputation and word of John-117 carried a lot of weight with him. "All right. I'll get with the program," Mike declared. "Stand down, Wolf Pack."

"But sir…," Adam said, still not believing everything that was happening.

"I said stand down. I trust the Master Chief."

"Good," the Arbiter agreed. "Now let us get back to business. Time is of the essence."

An attractive dark-haired female Navy officer entered the hanger and gave the scene a smile, her brown eyes sparkling. "Where'd you find him?" she asked Sergeant Johnson, looking at the Master Chief.

"Napping. Out back," the Marine senior NCO responded sarcastically.

"Hmm, I'll bet," Miranda Keyes answered, returning the Chief and Sergeant Johnson's salute. "It's good to see you Chief."

"Likewise, ma'am," Chief responded, shaking her offered hand.

Keyes then turned to Mike. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes. I've been placed in charge of Special Operations out of this sector going forward."

"Nice to meet you," Mike nodded in confirmation. "You the one who got us pulled by Colonel Holland earlier?"

"No, but things are starting to spin up pretty fast so it's not surprising our key assets are being brought in," Commander Keyes stated, then changed tone. "Let's get you all up to speed."

The group moved from the hanger and into the bowels of the 20th century base passing Marines who would stop and stare at the unusual group.

Commander Keyes began to share what she knew. "The Prophet of Truth's ships breached the Lunar perimeter. Smashed what was left of the Home Fleet. Terrestrial casualties from the subsequent bombardment were extreme."

As if to punctuate the point a team of medics raced by with an injured Marine on a stretcher and others sat in the corridor awaiting treatment. Sergeant Johnson was visibly moved so stopped to tend to an injured Marine.

"Truth could've landed anywhere, but he committed all his forces here. East Africa. The ruins of New Mombasa," Keyes continued though not unmoved by the casualties around them which Mike also took note of. "Then, they started digging."

"What about Halo?" Master Chief interrupted and asked intently.

Mike caught the word though he didn't quite understand what it was. He'd heard rumors about some sort of alien superweapon but it had never been a priority with a war of extermination right in front of him. And now perhaps what was happening was tied in.

"We stopped it, but only temporarily," Keyes answered the Chief's question. "Now, the Prophet of Truth is looking for something called 'The Ark', where he'll be able to fire all the Halo Rings. If he succeeds, Humanity, The Covenant, every sentient being in the Galaxy..."

"The rings will kill us all," Master Chief finished.

Mike's blood ran cold. He'd thought the fight in front of him was desperate. Now he finds out there's something that can kill him from millions of kilometers away? Though not a religious man he'd always had a sense of faith and belief in God. But how could any divine so powerful allow the ability for such carnage? It was an age-old question that had been asked for centuries but now was front-and-center in the mind of Mike Nantz.

The party arrived at the Operations Center for the Crow's Nest and a technician announced to Commander Keyes, "Ma'am, I have Lord Hood."

"Patch him through," the Naval officer responded calmly despite what had just been shared.

Lord Admiral Terrence Hood appeared on the main view screen in the multi-level hub of activity. Smaller monitors surrounded it while technicians were busy scanning workstations scattered throughout the utilitarian area. A set of wide, concrete stairs framed the center of the room and so the group walked down to the bottom level to get closer to the view screen which was now projecting the image of the famed Navy officer whose wise-looking face was etched with concern.

"Good news, Commander Keyes?" Admiral Hood asked via video.

"As good as it gets, sir," she replied.

"So I see," Hood responded with the hint of a smile. Then looking at the Master Chief asked, "What's your status, son?"

"Green. Sir," the legendary Spartan answered without pause.

The head of FLEETCOMM nodded his head. "Glad to hear it. The Commander's come up with a good plan. But without you, I wasn't sure we could pull it off."

Commander Keyes took the cue to explain her plan to those around her. "Truth's ships are clustered above the excavation site. And his infantry has deployed Anti-Aircraft Batteries around the perimeter. But, if we neutralize one of the batteries, punch a hole in Truth's defenses..."

"I'll initiate a low-level strike," Admiral Hood finished. "Hit 'em right where it hurts. I only have a handful of ships, Master Chief. It's a big risk. But I'm confident—"

The sentence was cut off as the ops center went black as the power was cut off.

"Hell! Not again!" a technician grunted in the dark.

"Emergency generators!" Commander Keyes ordered rhetorically. "Now!"

The lights started to come back up and the various screens and terminals started to reboot.

"Sitrep?" Mike called out instinctively, concerned by what had caused the power failure.

"Shielding failed, sir," a technician reported. "They're down and charging."

"As soon as they're up, re-establish contact with Lord Hood," Commander Keyes interjected. "Let him know that-"

The Covenant San'Shyuum Prophet of Truth suddenly appeared on all the view screens cutting off her thought.

"You are, all of you, vermin," Ord Casto, the Prophet of Truth declared imperiously. "Cowering in the dirt, thinking what, I wonder? That you might escape the coming fire? No. Your world will burn until its surface is but glass!" the Prophet hissed. "And not even your Demon will live to creep, blackened from its hole to mar the reflection of our passage... the culmination of our Journey. For your destruction is the will of the gods! And I? I am their instrument!"

Suddenly, all power was fully restored, showing the source of the initial outage which caused a sickening feeling for all in the ops center.

"Cocky bastard," Sergeant Johnson spat out. "Just loves to run his mouth!"

"Does he usually mention me?" Master Chief asked, reading into the message something others hadn't quite picked up.

Commander Keyes thought for a moment and then the realization of Truth's meaning became clear. "Give the order. We're closing shop."

"Ma'am?" the confused Marine Ops officer asked.

"We're about to get hit," Keyes explained grimly.

It clicked in for the OpsO and he swung into action, "All personnel! Defense code Alpha-one. Prepare for immediate evacuation!"

Mike was one step ahead of him. Opening his TEAMCOMM he ordered, "Wolf Pack, Wolverines, stand to. Prepare to be engaged."

A grim reality dawned on Commander Keyes. "The wounded. We're getting them all out."

"If I have to carry 'em myself," Sergeant Johnson declared emphatically, chomping down on his cigar.

"Ma'am, squad leaders are requesting a rally point. Where should they go?" a communications tech interrupted.

Miranda Keyes began walking up the stairs to exit drawing her magnum service pistol and cocking it, then finally answered. "To war."


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

**November 27, 2552, 1120****hrs**,** "The Crow's Nest", Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

Tension built in the ops center of the Crow's Nest as all waited for the anticipated Covenant attack

"We just lost the perimeter cameras," a technician called out.

"Motion Trackers?" Commander Keyes asked. With time of the essence she assumed overall command with the base commander being out of the hub.

While Mike held the same rank, he deferred to the assertive woman knowing now was not the time for debates about org charts and command structures. The woman seemed dialed in to the situation so he'd let it play out.

"They're down or we're not receiving. Can't tell," the tech answered with a note of frustration.

"Any of our birds squawking?" Keyes asked, beginning to mentally assess their options.

"No ma'am." But then the inevitable report was received. "Wait, Overwatch has contacts. Phantoms, closing in on our position."

The die was cast.

"Any birds less than five minutes out, bring them in. Tell everything else to scatter," the Navy officer commanded.

A number of the logistics personnel and technicians began to whisper nervously to themselves, the distraction of the impending assault causing them to lose focus. The natural tendency to self-preservation was starting to kick in.

Miranda Keyes saw this and knew she had to respond. "We knew they'd find us eventually. But we have a plan, let's make it happen."

This bolstered the resolve of those who were there and an enthusiastic response came in return.

Mike stepped forward to begin to exert himself, not trusting ground operations to a Navy officer despite her reputation. Doing a quick calculation he asked," "Sergeant Major, assessment?"

"Arbiter and I will guard the Ops Center. This will be our strong point," Sergeant Johnson responded. "Don't worry about the Commander, Chief. I got her. But I suspect the Marines downstairs could use some help."

"All right, you hold Ops," Mike agreed. "Chief, you work with the Marines and shore up any weak points in the south. Focus on the landing bays, they're vulnerable. Me and my team will head to the north entrance and firm it up. We need to hold this base."

"Makes sense, good luck," Master Chief replied with an approving nod. Then cocking his assault rifle, he moved off.

"That works," Commander Keyes confirmed happy for the assistance.

"All right everyone, let's move with a purpose," Mike ordered.

The Lone Wolf moved out of the Ops Center and into the flow of preparations to defend. Heavily armed Marines joined with him as he moved to the rest of the Wolf Pack who were waiting and ready to go. Their ability to hold the structure built in the 20th century concerned Mike since it had never been designed for the type of weaponry the Covenant possessed.

"We're good to go, sir," Adam confirmed as Mike stepped up. Tension was thick in the teen's voice but all stood confidently, ready to do what they could.

"Excellent. We're going to move to the periphery and wait for openings." Mike then went to the broader team channel. "Wolverine Actual, proceed to north entrance and provide blocking force with the Marines. We'll cover gaps."

"Roger that, Wolf One," Captain McLynn acknowledged. "We're moving out."

Gunny Stacker and a squad of ODST's pulled up to where Mike and his team stood. "Thought you might like some company, sir," the tough Helljumper said with a grin.

"Good to see you, Pete," Mike confirmed, shaking his hand. "I think it's going to be hard to hold this base if we're hit in force but we need to hold long enough for our wounded to be evac'ed."

"Outstanding," Stacker replied. "Lead the way."

The Wolf Pack, bolstered by Stacker's ODST's began to move from the interior of the base to the outer rim. Muffled explosions and small arms fire could be picked up already. Mike switched to open comms so he could assess what was going on from the radio traffic. It already didn't look good. Knowing they'd be engaged soon he set his IFF indicator on the HUD of his helmet to ensure he knew where everyone was. He noted his team and Stackers but instinctively became aware of the fact he suddenly realized he didn't know where Melanie was. It appeared that when they left the Ops Center she hadn't come along. He thought to call out to find out her location but knew the seasoned combat veteran would put herself where she needed to be. Plus, after their interrupted conversation there had been a degree of tension between them he didn't want to deal with now. No, better to leave things alone.

"Breach! We've been breached!" one of the combat team leaders called out urgently over the comms. "Transport bay Delta-4 has been breached. Falling back to rally point. Any available units in the vicinity respond to contain."

Definitely better to leave things alone. It was game time.

"All right, Wolf Pack, that's our cue," Mike called out. Setting a waypoint for the team to the bay he added, "Time to get loud."

Charging through the corridors of the base, in their power-assisted armor they were able to move faster than the others responding to the alarm. Marines moved out of the way but also had their confidence bolstered knowing Spartans were with them. This was lost on Mike as he concentrated on the situation at hand. Drawing closer to the bay the sound of small arms fire and explosions intensified. Mike could see into the bay now and saw Marines being pushed back past the open door. Just as they were about to enter in four Grunts turned into the corridor nearly running into the Spartan team coming the other way. The Unggoy squealed in terror and tried to get out of the way but the armored juggernauts ran through them knocking them over like bowling pins. Stacker's ODSTs made short work of the four with assault rifle fire.

Coming into the transport bay Mike looked right to see the big roll up door was destroyed having been blasted open. Charred twisted metal showed the explosion had been a big one. Two transport trucks were on fire having been ignited in the initial assault. The Marines guarding the area had been pushed back to the end of the bay and had rallied around a Warthog whose LAAG was spitting out fire on the attackers. Grunts were pushing forward with Skirmishers in support, Jackals on the periphery and a pack of Brutes pushing in from behind. Already the Covenant attackers had taken a third of the bay and threatened to be in a position to hold this breach as a foothold.

"Wolf Pack, close quarters combat," Mike ordered, "we need to push 'em out."

The teenaged Spartans instinctively went into their battle procedure based on the order. Alissa put her sniper rifle on her back with its magnetic clamp and drew her magnum, Terrell held his GPMG at the hip, ready to give fire support and Matt moved up with Mike to become the fist of their bludgeoning action. For a moment Mike worried about how the teens would react in their armor but none had the luxury of hesitation since they were moments away from being overwhelmed by the invaders.

Mike led off by lobbing two fragmentation grenades in succession, one at the charging Grunts and the other on a higher, looping trajectory over towards the Brutes. Both went off and had the desired effect of checking their progress. Already he'd switched to his assault rifle and was firing quick, short bursts to check the Covenant forces forward momentum. While this was going on Matt had pivoted to the side and had taken out three Jackals with blasts from his M45 tactical shotgun. In the meantime, Maia had fired a succession of three-round bursts from her battle rifle scattering a group of Skirmishers who'd been trying to push through the hapless Grunts. Terrell set up his GPMG on an overturned rations crate and begun to open fire, spitting deadly armor-piercing rounds down range towards the Grunts who were setting up to charge. Alissa had moved as smoothly as she'd ever done in the Mjolnir armor, for the first time reacting and not thinking which allowed her neural interface to kick-in and give her enhanced reflexes. Twice the massing Brutes had tried to take the sniper out with accurately fired grenades from brute shots but each time she moved through the arc and to safety. She wasn't even aware of the potential threat taking out two Jackals behind their energy shields with precision shots through their view opening. The ODST's under Gunny Stacker had deployed into the transport bay and set up a base of fire in support of the Spartans. This allowed the beleaguered Marines who'd been holding the point to move their wounded out of harm's way and regroup.

Only Adam struggled.

The blond-haired teen had come in with the rest of the team and had gone left as was his position in the CQC plan, feeling natural in his armor. He'd fired his assault rifle scattering a section of Grunts who'd tried to slide past the initial human counterattack and press on to the Marines. But then as he looked to his right, he saw the pack of Brutes forming to counter the assault. He'd lost his breath as his heart rate spiked and anxiety kicked in. The biometers in his suit kicked in to try to compensate but this was not an environmental or physical issue but rather an emotional one. Adam tried to compensate but couldn't get his body to do what his brain was trying to tell it. The neural interface couldn't keep up and so when he tried to move into a good position he instead charged into the side of a tracked survey vehicle, denting it and causing him to fall flat on his back due to the ricochet of the impact. He lay there listening to the guttural barks and howls of the Jiralhanae and found he couldn't move.

Fortunately for the teen the human counter attack was decisive and they pushed the Covenant forces clear out of the bay. The remaining Spartans of the Wolf Pack pressed the retreating Covenant forces over fifty meters away from the door before Mike called them back to hold a defensive perimeter around the shattered bay door.

"Gunny, we'll hold this position. Organize the Marines to bring vehicles to block the entrance and provide a defensive position," Mike ordered.

"Roger that, sir," Stacker responded, and the ODSTs and Marines went to work trying to build something that could be held.

In less than ten minutes a half dozen vehicles had been moved into a blocking position in front of the transport bay's entrance with two Warthogs anchoring the line. It wasn't perfect, but would likely do.

"Wolverine Actual, sitrep, over," Mike called over the comms to Captain McLynn.

"We're at Hanger Bay Kilo, sir," McLynn reported. "Covvies put in a big push supported by a Phantom but we held solid. We're sitting pretty."

"Good to hear, well done," Mike congratulated the ODST officer.

"Attention! Hostiles reported outside the barracks," Commander Keyes voice called out urgently over a pair of loudspeakers mounted in the transport bay. "Barracks are under attack! All available combat teams, respond!"

It seemed it was time to get back into the fight.

"Okay, Gunny Stacker, looks like we need to move. Wolf Pack, stand to," Mike declared, watching two squads of Marines come into the bay to reinforce it. Setting a way point to the barracks area he ordered, "let's go and help the barracks out."

With the Spartans in the lead the relief force began to move from the periphery of the sprawling base built into the mountain. The fact that the barracks area which was being used as an overflow for the infirmary was being that hard pressed by the Covenant was not a good sign. The defenders had been fighting hard but in less than two hours it seems like the place was significantly breached. This would limit their options and likely hamper the evacuation. Mike began to wonder at what point a general slaughter would start. The determined warrior declared to himself it wouldn't happen if there was anything he could do about it.

The Spartans and ODSTs began to pass the signs of running firefights as bodies began to litter the way and the wall was pockmarked and scorched from small arms fire. The Covenant had indeed reached the bowels of the base. Red blotches began to appear on the IFF's but to punctuate the fact colored plasma bolts began to rip down the hall towards them as the Covenant attackers prepared to repel the relief force.

"Covvies blocking the way, lets push through them," Mike called out urgently, aware that if the invaders were already there in force that meant the barracks may have already fallen. The clock was ticking, lives were at stake.

"Wolf Pack!" Matt bellowed and went charging forward blasting his shotgun, the frustration and ensuing tentativeness over his armor gone.

Terrell let rip a full auto burst from his GPMG that mowed down a trio of Jackals who'd attempted to block the way by locking their energy shields together.

_Crack crack._

Two precise shots from Alissa whizzed past the pair in the lead and slammed into the roaring maw of a Brute who'd stepped up to challenge the Spartans. It was dead from the high velocity rounds before the pair went running past.

The Wolf Pack was like a runaway freight train pushing their way through the Covenant cordon to reach the outer edges of the barracks area.

A Suicide Grunt came screaming out of a common room to the right of their advance but Mike saw it right away and drilled the Unggoy with a three round burst to the chest that pushed the attacker with the grenade it was cooking back into a squad who were following in its wake. The grenade went off that also ignited the hapless Grunt's methane tank causing carnage with the group that had attempted to spring an ambush. Two fire teams of ODSTs punched into the room to ensure it was clear after the Spartan juggernaut had pushed past mopping up any remaining Covenant resistance. The sounds of desperate battle now could be heard from up the corridor the relief force was coming to causing them to redouble their efforts.

The difficulties the teenage supersoldiers had been experiencing with their armor was lost in the fog of war which actually helped them since the intensity of the fight forced them to move instinctively and not think. Matt was hit full on with a spray of plasma fire draining his overshield. When the alarm claxon sounded, he nimbly stepped back and behind Mike to the cover of his team leader. Maia stepped into his spot in one fluid motion and so the Spartan fist continued to punch into the invader's resistance.

Two Jackals stepped into the corridor and snapped on their wrist-mounted energy shields locking them together and starting to open fire with plasma pistols. Rather than fire on the Kig-Yar Mike put on a burst of speed which caught the avian fighters unprepared for when the charging Spartan lowered his shoulder and bowled the pair over not only shorting out their shields but knocking them hard into the concrete wall. Maia shot one with a burst from her battle rifle charging past while Alissa nailed the other.

A mixed group of Grunts and Skirmishers came up from behind them, led by a Brute. They streamed out of a side corridor, showing again how overrun the Crow's Nest really was.

"Wolf 2, Wolf 5, cover our rear and collapse back with us," Mike ordered Adam and Terrell.

Adam could feel his heart rate increasing and throat grip as the bellowing Jiralhanae surged forward but Terrell opened fire with his GPMG so the main threat was eliminated.

In the front, moving quickly towards the barracks area, Mike led the way flanked now by Matt and Maia. The sound of an intense firefight grew as did the screams of dying Marines.

"What's the plan, sir?" Maia asked as they approached the north entrance to the sprawling barracks area.

"No plan. Marines are dying in there. We push in and figure it out on the fly," Mike declared tersely. Slapping a fresh mag into his assault rifle he put on a burst of speed and charged into the open door to the base quarters.

The scene was one of carnage. Bodies of Marines lay in heaps and piles, showing signs the Brutes who were occupying the area had had the time to not only gather the human defenders but torture them. With a primal yell the Lone Wolf and his team surged into the open concept promenade level catching the Brutes and Jackals who supported them off guard. The Covenant tormentors seemed occupied with an attack from the south entrance giving the Wolf Pack their chance.

Mike opened fire into the back of the head of the closest Brute, exploding its head while grabbing a grenade with his off hand and throwing it into a cluster of another. Maia and Matt stuck close to their commander and the trio formed an arrow head slicing through the attackers. Alissa came in their wake and climbing up a metal ladder to an upper deck she switched to her sniper rifle and began looking for Brutes from the command element. Terrell and Adam joined them a couple minutes later adding weight to the thrust. The last push came from Gunny Stacker and his ODSTs who surged in from a sub entrance having taken another route to the barracks.

The leader of the Wolf Pack knew his rear and flank were secure so aggressively pushed on. He fired a three-round burst into the screaming maw of another Jiralhanae then ran full force into the shaggy beast hitting it square in the stomach. With a loud _whoosh_ the air escaped the beast and it went down in a heap to be finished off by a shotgun blast from Matt. Mike could see coming the opposite way was the Master Chief and the Elite who went by the name Arbiter. For a moment the Lone Wolf's primal instinct kicked in and he was sorely tempted to shoot the Sangheili warrior but watching him effectively kill one Brute then swiftly a pair of Jackals who tried to stop him truly showed for whatever reason he was on the side of humanity. Plus, if the Chief trusted him that meant something.

With the two groups moving in a pincer movement the remaining Covenant forces were swiftly and effectively dispatched. None were allowed to escape. As the echo of small arms fire died down in the two-story barracks area several Marines and ODSTs checked all the downed Covenant and shot any of the wounded. There'd be no mercy shown to those who'd tormented and tortured the wounded.

The UNSC forces met in the middle of the room while several medics went to treat the wounded.

"Good job, sir," Master Chief congratulated Mike coming up to shake his hand, "and thanks to the rest of you for the assist, that was outstanding."

The teenage Spartans beamed inside their helmets at the compliment from the legendary warrior.

"Forget the 'sir', Chief, it's just Mike," the Lone Wolf stated. Then seeing Gunny Stacker punch a locker in frustration at the sight of the dead Marines added, "Sorry we couldn't get here faster."

"We all did what we could," Chief stated, seeing several ODSTs begin to weep at the fallen. "Let's just get the rest of them of our here."

Gunny Stacker came over unapologetically wiping tears from his eyes for the fallen. He looked around, assessing the situation and added, "We did the best we could, sir. Let's get the survivors up to the hangar. There's an elevator just outside the barracks."

Mike looked around and did a quick assessment. "Okay, Chief, you and the Arbiter lead the way. Gunny, you and your team join with them and provide escort for the wounded. My team and I will cover the rear." Seeing a group of walking wounded congregating on the edge of the conversation he ordered, "the rest of you, grab weapons and ammo or get litters for those who can't walk. No one gets left behind. Let's move."

With the Arbiter travelling our front supported by the Master Chief and Stacker's Helljumpers the UNSC party was able to move into the elevators and to the landing bay area with little difficulty. Things seemed to tipping back in favor of the human defenders but that was a short-lived moment of optimism.

"Commander, we lost the Ops Center," Sergeant Johnson reported urgently over the open channel. "Brutes attacked in force. Couldn't hold them off. We're falling back to the hangar. But don't wait for us."

At the same time a Pelican began its landing sequence to extract the wounded survivors of the barracks attack.

"This is Kilo 23. What should I do, ma'am?" the pilot of the dropship called out in a thick southern accent.

"Hold position! I'm not leaving without him," Commander Keyes responded back on the same channel.

"All right, let's move out, first priority is getting the wounded on this bird and out of here," Mike ordered the group

With the Master Chief and Arbiter again leading the way, a group of Marines filled the elevator up to the landing pad while the Wolf Pack and majority of ODSTs stayed back for the next load. Unfortunately, the relative peace of the landing bay was short lived as well as Covenant forces led by Brutes with thruster packs counterattacked. They focused on the first Pelican seeking to land to take on evacuees.

"Ma'am, I've got movement. Above and below," the Pelican pilot called out urgently. "Brutes! They got jump-packs!"

"They're going after the thrusters. Shake them off, lieutenant!" Commander Keyes ordered.

The Master Chief and Thel 'Vadam were the first there so engaged the Brutes who shifted their attack to try to repel this dangerous threat.

"We need to get up there and into the fight!" Matt called out urgently as they waited impatiently for the elevator to return and take them. Finally arrived it was filled to capacity and went up to support the two warriors. With the Wolf Pack and squad of ODSTs, the UNSC forces made short work of the Brutes and were able to retake the hanger.

After successfully retaking the flight deck, a door at the road below opened, and Sergeant Johnson came in with the remnants of his team under attack by a group of Drones that had been harassing them all the way. The Wolf Pack, Arbiter and Master Chief quickly engaged the Covenant forces supporting the beleaguered Marines. The few Drones left were quickly eliminated and so Kilo 23 was able to return to begin the final evacuation. The barrack's survivors and remnants of Sergeant Johnson's squad boarded the Pelican first.

Sergeant Johnson gave a nod to Mike and the Master Chief then got onto the comms. "Brutes attacked the Ops Center in force and ran us out. They disarmed the bomb. Sorry Commander, there were too many. Even for me."

"Chief, get back to the Ops Center," Commander Keyes ordered. "Kill those Brutes. Rearm the bomb. I've gotta get these men outta here. But I'll radio with another exit. Good luck."

Sergeant Johnson and Thel 'Vadam boarded the Pelican and it lifted off so the next in line could drop in for another group to be evacuated giving those on the ground a few minutes.

"You okay with this, Chief?" Mike asked. "Me and my team could provide cover for you and exfil from the secondary extraction point."

"No sir, my tasking," the Chief answered with determination. "No sense putting more at risk. Good luck to you and your team."

"And to you too," Mike extended his hand which the legendary Spartan II shook.

"I'll see you when I see you," Chief declared in his gravelly voice then turned and trotted back up the gangway they'd previously came from, passing by destroyed equipment and dead Marines along the way.

Mike watched the Spartan disappear and felt a strange kinship with the legendary figure he'd only met earlier in the day.

"Sir, we gotta go," the Pelican's loadmaster declared urgently as the ship's engines began to spool up.

Mike held his gaze for a moment, watching the Spartan disappear into the bowels of the building then turned and walked onto the Pelican.

Several minutes later, an orange fireball erupted from the lush greenery of the mountain as the Ops Center of the Crow's Nest blew up. The Master Chief had accomplished his mission, was there ever any doubt?


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**November 27, 2552, 1338****hrs**,** Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

"I repeat: My convoy's been hit. I've got wounded," the frantic call over the area comms cut to static before returning. "We're on the Tsavo Highway about…," the transmission broke to static again. "…east of Voi. Someone, anyone, please, respond!" The radio call went again to static and then was cut off.

"All right Wolf Pack, let's go and assist," Mike called out purposefully to his team slapping a fresh mag into his assault rifle and checking his ammo state.

The team's Pelican had landed a short time earlier at one of many rally points for those who'd left the Crow's Nest. They'd had the momentary reprieve in the shadows of the wreckage of the New Mombasa Space Elevator but the call from a supply convoy coming up the highway cut their time of rest short.

The Spartan team commandeered two Warthogs to make the short trip to the Tsavo to assist the beleaguered UNSC personnel as did the members of the Wolverines who'd ended up at the same rally point. Mike hopped into the driver's seat while Terrell jumped up behind the LAAG. Maia drove the second with Alissa taking the M41 Vulcan. Taking the lead, the Wolf Pack sped to the highway only a couple of kilometers away.

While the convoy's rescuers hadn't gotten a location on the harassed UNSC forces a pair of Brute Choppers speeding down the highway about a half-kilometer ahead seemed to indicate where the fight was.

"We're going to follow those Choppers," Mike called out, "I bet they'll take us to our people."

Acknowledgement lights lit up Mike's HUD as the relief force came onto the highway picking up speed. The drivers of the vicious two-wheeled Covenant rapid assault vehicles seemed oblivious to the UNSC force closing in on them.

Coming into range, Mike ordered, "Light 'em up!"

Terrell opened fire on the rear Chopper with the LAAG spewing out 12.7x99mm rounds at a rate of 500 rounds per minute. The Brute machine exploded in an orange fireball getting the attention of the one in the lead. The other Chopper nimbly turned 180 degrees and opened fire with its twin pair of 35mm autocannons but before it could connect Alissa hammered it with the LAAG from her trailing Warthog. The driver was shredded and thrown out of the operator's seat as the heavily damaged bike flew topsy-turvy off the highway.

The UNSC forces pressed past without a pause and in less than two minutes found the convoy that was under attack. Most of the convoy's Marine escort was down and several of the transport trucks carrying shipping containers of much-needed supplies were on fire or destroyed. Plasma rounds lit up the air and Jackals fired from the periphery to keep the humans penned in while a group of Brutes was pressing in to break the defensive ring the convoy had set up around their vehicles.

The Wolf Pack wasted no time in doing more than a quick assessment of the situation. The Spartans charged in engaging with their Warthogs. Nimbly bobbing and weaving through smoking vehicles and the temporary barriers the attacking Covenant forces had put up to blockade the convoy the relief force was able to check the attack and shift the Covenant attacker's focus on to them. Coming up right behind the Wolf Pack, the ODST Wolverines decided to deploy out of their vehicles and moved in disciplined bounds to link up with the Marine force guarding the precious supplies helping strengthen their position.

After their initial attack with the Warthog around the periphery of the battle, Mike decided it would be more effective to fight on foot so pulled his Force Application Vehicle over so he and Matt could jump out. Terrell stayed in place providing fire support fire where he could as Maia with Adam and Alissa continued to move around in their Warthog disrupting the Covenant attackers who were trying to regroup.

A fresh pack of Brutes entered the scene with a mixed company of Grunts and Jackals stemming the tide of the human relief effort. Concentrated fire from brute shots caused another truck from the convoy to blow up sending shrapnel and debris all around. When the Marines defending it had to go to cover to protect themselves the attackers took advantage of the opportunity to charge in threatening to penetrate the defensive formation.

Seeing this dangerous situation unfold, Mike called to the Wolverines to back him and Matt up as they charge into the Covenant reinforcements guns blazing. The sheer weight of the Mjolnir-armored Spartans supported by a half-platoon of ODSTs checked the Brute advance, keeping them from linking up with their pack mates who'd enjoyed initial success at this development.

The Brutes answered back, holding in disciplined groups to keep the humans from linking up. Matt charged in firing two quick bursts from his shotgun at one of the Brute groups then used his weapon as a club to bludgeon one to the ground. It went down in a scream of pain but one of the Jiralhanae's clan mates turned and punched the teen Spartan with a massive hairy first. The force behind the 600kg Brute's punch sent Matt sprawling. The beast then nimbly moved for its size to put an armored foot on him and begin to press down. The alarm claxon went off as Matt's shield drained. Mike saw this but was engaged in his own desperate fight and could do nothing to assist. A sharp burst of SMG fire caused the Brute to contort like a puppet on a string and it fell dead in a heap on top of Matt. Gunnery Sergeant MacGregor with two ODSTs from the Wolverines came up from behind, the senior NCO's weapon still smoking.

"Thanks, gunny," Matt said humbly as he got back to his feet.

"Can't let you wee bairns have all the fun," the grizzled combat veteran replied with a wink. "All right, no time to talk, let's go have some fun."

With that the trio of ODSTs got back into the fight with Mike and Matt joining them to smash the Covenant attackers.

As more human forces coming out of the Crow's Nest arrived to support the beleaguered convoy and with Mike, Matt and the Wolverines checking the Covenant reinforcements the battle was over quickly with all the Brutes dead and the remaining Grunts running away screaming in disorganization and the surviving Jackals melting into the shadows of the foliage and space elevator wreckage. What could have been a terrible disaster for the human forces turned into a much-needed victory.

**November 27, 2552, 1415h****rs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

"Has your mission been accomplished?" Admiral Parangosky asked with a sense of anticipation to the off-the-books assassin she'd sent to Kenya to kill Natalia.

The head of the Office of Naval Intelligence's office was in hard lock-down and Captain Osman had been sent to another part of the Hive to keep her from suspecting anything. To the scheming woman everything was perfect. Parangosky could tell her aide was not only suspicious about what was going on but seemed to be uncomfortable with some of decisions being made of late. Hence the reason she was kept out of this. The former Spartan had potential, the admiral thought to herself, but wasn't ready for command just yet, there were still some lessons she needed to learn.

"Negative," came the reply over the speaker through her console. This was a voice-only transmission. There would be no video and the conversation was being scrubbed even as they spoke. There was to be no record of this mission.

"What do you mean?" Parangosky added menacingly.

"Your data package is old. The target is no longer in New Mombasa," the assassin reported with a Middle Eastern accent. "I'm not certain where she is currently. The situation is pretty fluid here right now and as I don't exist my access to information is pretty limited."

"Black Box," the admiral called out.

"Here, ma'am," the Smart AI appeared and answered stiffly.

"I want new location and co-ordinates for Natalia Misriah."

"Admiral Parangosky, are you certain of this order?" Black Box questioned anew. "There is no upside for you to this action and the potential for disaster in my estimation..."

"Don't question me, Black Box!" Parangosky snapped back. "You answer to me and you will provide what I asked for without moralizing on this."

Black Box let out a long and audible sigh, pausing dramatically.

"Well?" the admiral impatiently cut in.

"Lieutenant Commander Misriah is currently in the Voi Theatre of Operations staging area. She arrived a short time ago on a supply convoy out of New Mombasa." The Smart AI did nothing to mask the disgust it had with producing the information.

"I want you to send the co-ordinates to the asset immediately," the admiral demanded.

"Done," Black Box stated huffily and disappeared again without being ordered away.

Margaret Parangosky noted the act of disobedience and would need to ponder an appropriate response to not only rein in but punish the Smart AI. No one defied her. But that would have to wait.

"Co-ordinates received," the assassin confirmed. "What are your orders, ma'am?" he asked, having heard the conversation over the line.

"Nothing has changed, termination with extreme prejudice," Parangosky snapped. "Head to the Voi staging area immediately and report to me directly on this channel when it's done."

So as the war for the survival of humanity came to its critical juncture, Margaret Parangosky continued to wage her own personal war.

**November 27, 2552, 1420****hrs**,** Chawia Hill, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

While medics scrambled to assist the wounded and the trucks that were on fire extinguished Mike surveyed the scene with satisfaction. The Wolverines set up a protective perimeter around the stalled convoy and the remainder took the opportunity to relax. The commander of the Wolf Pack couldn't help but smile as he removed his helmet breathing in the humid Kenyan air. His Spartans and ODSTs had fought together seamlessly for the first time since reaching Africa. They'd found their old cohesion which was a source of relief for the heavily-burdened man. After checking in with the commander of the convoy and then Captain McLynn to check the state of the Wolverines he ordered everyone to rest though keep weapons handy. All knew they'd be back in the fight sooner rather than later.

The rest of the Wolf Pack took the opportunity to remove their helmets and have some food from their ration packs excitedly sharing the events of the day.

"I heard the Master Chief made it out," Matt stated excitedly.

"Of course he did," Alissa retorted. "Did you expect any less? He's the Master Chief."

"Yea, I know, but that was a pretty big explosion," the burly assaulter said.

"Don't matter, he's the Master Chief," the team's sniper declared.

The banter between the two members of the Wolf Pack that drew Terrell into the conversation was lost on Adam. The team's 2ic sat a short distance away on a ration's crate in a state of misery. While the others eagerly shared their thoughts on the Master Chief much of it was fueled by how well the day had gone. While the UNSC had lost the Crow's Nest and were reconsolidating in the area the teen Spartans had not only fought well but with distinction. They'd all seemed to overcome the challenges they'd faced the previous days with their Mjolnir armor so their previous confidence had returned. Plus, things were good with the ODST Wolf Pack and that group had gotten out as well with no casualties.

It seemed like old times.

Yes, old times since Adam had again frozen in the face of the Brutes. Every time the quiet teen had thought he'd overcome this phobia each time it had shown itself to only be lying dormant and had returned in the heat of battle with a vengeance. He'd offered to step down as team 2ic but the others members wouldn't hear of it yet Mike had remained quiet and said nothing. He felt like a liability and didn't know what to do about it but knew it was only a matter of time before his actions got someone killed. Again, he'd frozen earlier in the day when they were fighting for the Crow's Nest. This was not the legacy he'd wanted and it was becoming a millstone around his neck. He didn't know if his teammates knew how bad it had been this time but it was getting harder to hide. So deep in thought was the teenage Spartan he didn't even notice someone had been talking to him.

"What?" Adam mumbled in distraction.

"I said, 'are you doing okay?'," Maia, who was now sitting beside him, asked.

"I'm fine," the blond-haired teen lied.

"I saw what happened," the quietest member of the team declared without judgment.

"Then you know I need to resign and get reassigned," Adam stated in misery.

"That's not how I see it," Maia countered.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked, caught off guard by the unexpected comment.

"I know you have a problem with the Brutes. We all know that."

"So then you should understand my position."

"I do understand, but I don't think you understand, Adam," Maia said patiently. "We get it. We all have our demons."

"Yea, but none of yours causes you to freeze," the team's 2ic cut her off bitterly.

"That's true," the Wolf Pack's most thoughtful member conceded, "but you've also forgotten we're a family and we're in this together. We've let you down, in some ways."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked, confusion filling his expressive face. "That seems hardly fair to you."

"We know you have a problem with Brutes and we know we're going to face them. We get into a fight and we all forget you're working through this so we leave you to do your part when you're struggling. We're not helping you work through this," Maia stated.

"We're in combat!" Adam retorted.

"It doesn't matter," Maia declared, shaking her head. We need to do a better job of helping you defeat this. We're all here for you, let us help you overcome this."

Adam was overwhelmed by emotion. _I'm not in this alone_, he thought to himself. _They want to help me_. A renewed resolution began to build that replaced the one he'd tried to build through his own strength. This one was based on the love he had for his teammates and desire to help them as much as they wanted to help him. This was a resolution based on love, one he instinctively knew would be different. His would not be a legacy of failure in the face of this challenge but rather he'd be an overcomer.

"Thanks Maia, that means a lot," Adam stated genuinely, with new resolve. "With all of your help I can get over this."

"We know you can Adam, we all believe in you." Maia gave him a hug and then went back to the rest of the group. Things were going to change.

Mike watched the conversation, as he leaned against a Warthog. He could tell they were talking about Adam and how he'd frozen again when they faced the Brutes. The supersoldier could empathize with the teen and his struggles but he also knew if the team's 2ic didn't get a grip on this soon it was going to cost them. He'd thought to replace Adam but again the team had come to his aid. As he watched it was obvious they were all rallying around the troubled teen. That made the former Lone Wolf smile warmly at the spirit of unity within the Wolf Pack. While the smart tactical decision might be to relieve the Spartan to maintain operational efficiency, he knew he wouldn't since this was about more than how they functioned. The others were supporting him and growing in the process which meant they were not only covering for Adam but he would grow through their efforts and support. On paper it didn't seem wise but the leader of the Wolf Pack knew in his heart it was the right way to proceed.

Mike shifted his focus from his team and began to idly scan the area that was jammed with vehicles from the convoy they'd assisted plus that which had come out of the abandoning of the Crow's Nest. The observant Spartan's gaze fixed though on one particular person who'd just gotten out of a transport Warthog. He could tell it was her at a distance despite the Marine helmet and ballistic armor. He wasn't sure how, he just knew. "Tali!" he called out.

Natalia turned at the voice she'd desperately wanted to hear. "Mike!" she called back and unembarrassed ran to him.

The two awkwardly embraced since both wore armor. A few passers-by looked on with amusement but most carried on with their business.

"You were on that convoy?" Mike asked, suddenly connecting the dots.

"Yea, I wasn't sure we were going to make it," Natalia answered with an involuntary shudder. Then she connected her own dots. "Hey, were you part of the group that rescued us?"

"We were evac'ing the Crow's Nest when we got the distress call," Mike answered, realizing his own feeling of dread.

"Looks like you've come to my rescue again," Natalia answered, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.

"Just in the right place at the right time," Mike answered but then a thought that he had struck him hard. This was a pattern in many ways in their relationship, which was odd. Then the idea hit him that perhaps it wasn't coincidence but the Divine who kept bringing them together since this was what was meant to be.

"Well hello beautiful," Gunny MacGregor said in his thick Scottish brogue, ambling over. "I see you're still blessed with good luck."

Natalia knew there was no malice in the comment so bent down and kissed the tough ODST on the cheek. "And it's good to see you too, gunny."

"Bah!" he retorted crustily though his face reddened in embarrassment.

"What's up, Hank?" Mike asked, knowing MacGregor had come over for a purpose.

The pair moved off a short distance to have a quick meeting.

While they chatted Natalia idly scanned the area and saw Melanie a distance away staring intently at them. The competitive woman's heart sunk and bile crept up into her thought.

_What's she doing here?_ Natalia thought angrily to herself. _Why didn't Mike tell me she was here? If he didn't tell me about this what else is he hiding from me and what's he doing with her?_

It was a moment of truth for Natalia Misriah. Jealousy began to flare at the sight of the attractive Spartan and the old doubts and fears began to surface in the woman who's privilege actually had led to large amounts of insecurity.

But then another voice began to speak inside of her.

_Mike loves you and you love him. You DO trust him, it's time to start acting like it. He didn't tell you because you've only had minutes to speak. Its time you came out of your protective shell and live. You have nothing to fear from that woman, you can trust Mike._

Something changed for Natalia in that moment. Turning away from her perceived rival she walked over and boldly held Mike's hand while he continued to talk to Gunnery Sergeant MacGregor unafraid of what the future held and what would happen. She loved Mike and he loved her, that was all that mattered. Despite the terror of recent combat, the woman smiled and somewhere a song bird called out happily.

"You jealous Mike's going to get a happy ending and you're not?"

Melanie turned aggressively to see Danielle-B000 standing behind her. Rather than the annoying smirk her former Beta Company teammate usually had there was a strange look of sympathy that disarmed the angry woman.

"Is anyone going to get a happy ending, Dani?" Melanie retorted fatalistically.

"We're all going to have an end," Danielle stated with a shrug. "It's going to happen sooner or later. We have to figure out whether or not we're going to do what we can to make it happy."

Melanie looked in evident shock as the Spartan's brown turned blue eyes began to sparkle and she gave her all-familiar smirk. Surprisingly, it didn't annoy the confused and agitated woman, it intrigued her.

"What changed for you?" Melanie asked, starting to feel her heart beat a little faster.

"This damn war," Dani stated definitively. "And maybe it was seeing what I could do as a Spartan as I watched everything I was told was important fall apart. I learned I have a lot more control over my life than I thought."

"Is that all you learned?" Melanie asked a little breathless.

"No, I also learned relationships are important, that's all we have in the end. Hey, you hungry? There's a chow truck not far from here. Come on, let's see what's on the menu."

Melanie turned and followed the female Spartan and suddenly what was going on with Mike and Natalia was no longer important.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**November 27, 2552, 1530****hrs**,** Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

The time of respite for the Wolf Pack came to an end quickly. Just like with those at the Crow's Nest, the UNSC forces holding the line around Voi were being hard pressed. The Covenant were planning something and it seemed to be happening soon based on the invader's intensity of activity. Observers were reporting frantic activity at the dig site as if in preparation for something. That forced the hand of the human defenders who were being required to react definitively. Fortunately, the scratch force was not without assets with the Wolf Pack, Master Chief and Arbiter there. None doubted the job could get done despite the odds stacked against them.

As hasty O Group was called by the acting area commander, a Marine full colonel, named appropriately Steele. Mike surveyed the gathered officers and senior NCOs and couldn't figure who was getting the dirtier looks from the command group the Elite Arbiter or Natalia in her ONI uniform. The Arbiter stood proudly beside the Master Chief while Natalia looked obviously uncomfortable with the attention.

"All right everyone, listen up," the Marine colonel stated, "mission template is short and sweet. Command is preparing for a big air push and so whatever boots on the ground we have need to pave the way for it. We're committing everything we have to this. Intel says the Covvies are preparing something on their dig site so time is running out. We need maximum effort here; we throw everything at them. Questions?"

The seasoned officer gave the assembled group a few moments to let the sobering news sink in and each to begin their own mental preparation for what was to come. The experienced combat leader was proud of how his troops had responded to everything going on and was confident they would get the job done.

"Commander Mike, you're senior here on the ground amongst the special ops cadre since we've had no contact with Colonel Holland. That puts you in overall charge, how do you see this unfolding?" the Marine senior officer deferred to him.

Mike envied the Master Chief who turned and looked at him as the others did. It was impossible to know what he was thinking behind the visor of helmet as his body language betrayed no signs. In some ways he missed his old life as the Lone Wolf and being in the Chief's position but he realized anew the trade-off was worth it as Natalia stood beside him beaming confidently at the attention he was being given. The look gave him a boost so the experienced combat veteran did a quick assessment taking into account what he knew.

The collective group of leaders turned to look at him and none showed any signs of lacking confidence in his ability to get the job done.

"It's pretty simple, we need to eliminate the Covenant triple A assets in the east and southern grids," Mike began, confident in his thoughts. "When their AA guns are down, we hold a lane for the Navy strike package. Special Ops elements will punch through and expand along this line," Mike set a series of way points, "Marines will hold as Special Ops pushes out and creates a buffer zone. I will co-ord movement with OPs. Master Chief, you and the Arbiter will work independently exploiting targets of opportunity as they arise."

"Works for me, sir," Chief responded.

Mike looked around to ensure he had a good idea of what assets were at his disposal. He spied Gunnery Sergeant Stacker on the edge of the O group. "Your team good to go, Pete?" he called out.

"100%, sir," Stacker replied immediately with confidence.

"Excellent. You work with and support the Master Chief. You'll be his flying wing." Then turning his attention back to the broader group stated: "This packet gets priority with vehicle assets when we move out. They need to be mobile. The rest of us can hump in. TEAMCOMM and AREACOMM protocols will be in place. Let's make sure we communicate effectively and we'll get the job done for the fly boys."

"Sounds good, Mike," the colonel confirmed with a nod of approval. Then ensuring he had everyone's attention finished with," I don't need to impress on any of you the importance of this mission. Our very existence is on the line here, so we hold nothing back. You have 30 minutes to prep and load out then we step off. Again, any questions."

There were none.

"Dismissed."

As everyone went to brief their sub-units and get prepared Mike took a step and realized Natalia was frozen in place. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"What am I going to do?" she asked barely above a whisper.

"Let's go ask the colonel and find out where you can help," Mike replied with an easy smile.

"Really?" Natalia asked, surprised at how quickly and easily he'd responded. Her heart soared at the simple confidence this man had in her. He had no doubt she could contribute and not because her name was Misriah and her dad could write a big check.

"For sure. Come on."

The pair walked over to where the colonel stood, having just finished a brief discussion with one of his supply officers on the state of ammo.

"How can I help, sir?" Natalia asked.

"Don't really need any intel right now or anything else ONI can do," the Marine senior officer replied with disdain, looking at her uniform and the name tape on it. "Listen, I'm pretty busy so I need to go."

"Wait sir, please. I'm rated as an Area Combat Controller," Natalia replied humbly, trying to not show how nervous she was, "and I served in that role on Mars in the Mare Erythraeum area."

"She was excellent too, by the way, and helped us out a lot," Mike added confidently. "There are a lot of troops still alive including my own because of what she was able to do there."

Natalia couldn't help but turn and look at him in shock. They'd talked little about Mars since then and while he'd thanked her for what she did the insecure woman thought it had only been to pander to her. _He really does believe in me_, she thought and loved him more for it.

"Well that's outstanding," the Marine smiled as his tone changed. "I could use the help since my command team is pretty thin. Go and see Major Grant. He's my OPSO and will get you squared away. Navy is going to assist with ground ops co-ording for what's coming. Ms. Misriah, you'll be one of our links. Let's get ready to move."

The colonel walked off leaving the pair alone to say their goodbyes.

"Thank you for standing up for me, Mike," Natalia said as her expressive eyes welled up with tears.

"No problem, but it was the truth," he replied not understanding the emotion of her response.

"I know, but you stood up for me and what I was able to do on my own," she explained as a couple of tears slide down her cheek. Unashamed the proud woman let them fall and continued," You believe in ME Mike, not who I am or what I can give. You believe in what I can do. And you always have. I guess I've not really understood that."

"You're an amazing woman, Tali, the more I learn about you the more I like. I know I've not been very good at saying it but this is all new to me. I'd like to learn everything there is about you."

The tears now fell freely and Natalia beamed in delight. Putting one hand lightly on his cheek and squeezing his hand with the other she said. "And I want to show you everything there is about me. Mike, I'd…I'd, like to grow old with you," she stammered.

"I'd like that too," Mike answered, voice suddenly becoming husky.

"Then please, stay alive and come back to me," the emotional woman implored.

"You kidding me? We're finally starting to get this right; you think I'm going let something like this attack get in the way of that?" Mike declared playfully.

"Jerk," she a laughed with snort punching him lightly on the arm. "I love you."

"I love you too Tali, see you soon."

The two parted, hearts filled to overflowing ready to take on the whole Covenant themselves.

Natalia walked over to a cluster of vehicles and modular tents that was being used as the hub of the area command and found an M6A1 Bobcat Command Vehicle. The 12-meter-long armored mobile command post was easy to spot with its cluster of antenna and sensors. She walked in confidently and found Major Grant, the operations officer, who was already waiting for her. He showed her to her station and she settled in and became familiar with the equipment and prepared for the coming fight.

Mike called the Wolf Pack together to give them their orders along with Captain McLynn, Gunny MacGregor and the Wolverines.

"Listen up. It's all coming down to this. There's one last push coming to dislodge the Covenant from Voi. We're going lead element in first contact."

"What else is new?" Matt chimed in sarcastically.

"We're good to go, sir," Alissa added.

"Wolverines?"

"Try to keep up with us, sir," Gunny MacGregor declared which elicited a whoop from the Helljumpers.

It seemed like everyone was back to old times. Mike was happy for the confidence since he knew this was going to be a hard fight. They were going against an enemy with a hardened defensive perimeter and were expecting attack. It would take everything they had to pull it off.

"Mission template is pretty straight forward," Mike continued, finding it hard not to smile. "We move in through the tunnel on the Tsavo," Mike gestured to the structure visible less than two kilometers from their staging area. "That'll give us some cover to approach. We push through and into a factory complex system." He projected a holo map so all could see. "This becomes our entry point to a dry lake bed where we push off from there. We take out enough triple A and Navy comes in and does the rest. Any questions?"

There were none.

"All right, full ammo load out, strip all non-essential kit. We need to move fast. We step off in 20. I don't need to tell you how important this is people. Covvies can't activate whatever it is they've dug up. Let's get it done people."

There was no cheer at the end as this was no pep talk. The Spartans and ODSTs quietly went about their own preparations feeling the weight of the coming fight. Each were left to their own thoughts.

There was one more order of business before battle.

Mike had noticed Melanie was absent from the meeting and still hadn't reported in. He realized she likely knew Natalia was around and that was likely what caused the distance. Still, they both had a job to do so the air needed to be cleared. Mike looked around and could see her off in the distance standing with Danielle and the ODST team their former teammate had been working with. He stared hard at her until Melanie finally looked at him. She waited a bit, leaned in and said something in Dani's ear which caused the confident operator to smirk, and then casually ambled over.

"What's up?" Mike asked, not hiding his irritation. "You missed my O group. We're stepping off shortly."

Melanie shrugged. "Other priorities. Listen, you don't need a recon element for this mission, it's a straight-up fight. I'm going to go where I can be more useful." She turned and looked back towards Dani and her team.

"So that's the way it's going to be?" Mike asked not wanting to argue as he realized what she meant.

"That the way it's going to be," Melanie declared definitively, looking back at him defiantly, waiting for what he'd say.

"Okay, take care of yourself, Mel," Mike said releasing her in more than one way.

"You too, Michael," Melanie said to him, her tone and face softening. "And thanks for everything."

The two parted and Mike had a tinge of sadness but then the look on Natalia's face came to mind and he knew this was for the best. None of them may be alive by the end of the day so did it really matter? Yet, in his mind, Mike knew it did for even if he died he'd experienced something he thought he'd never have- love and a sense of peace. It was worth all of it, even if only for a short period of time.

"Yea, you take care of yourself Mel," Mike said to himself as he watched the woman who'd caused him much torment of late return to her new team, putting her arm playfully around Danielle's shoulder and suddenly, he was free and everything was clear. He looked up in the deep blue sky that was marred only by intermittent clouds and he had a peace within that defied understanding. Mike Nantz was ready for whatever the future held.

Less than thirty minutes later Mike watched a convoy of three Warthogs roll into a tunnel on the Tsavo Highway and disappear into the gapping steel and concrete structure, with Master Chief riding shotgun in the lead vehicle. His force was all in vehicles also as were as many of the Marines as they had transport for. The rest were following in a quick trot behind. The concept was they'd push through and into the Covenant defensive position with the last element in the advance holding each position in succession. It would allow them to push forward aggressively and still have a fall-back position.

The now-familiar voice of Commander Miranda Keyes came over the AREACOM Mike was monitoring. "Chief, the Prophet of Truth has found the Ark. Our only chance of stopping him is a surprise aerial assault. Clear this sector of Covenant anti-air defenses. Make a hole for the Admiral's ships. Good hunting. Keyes out."

Mike could imagine the Chief stoically taking it in. He would have liked to have the opportunity to talk more to the legendary Spartan. It seems like they shared many similarities. It would have been nice to just talk as fellow soldiers. That would need to wait for another day.

As Mike's packet pushed into the tunnel the sight of abandoned and destroyed vehicles littering the way was a testimony to the destruction wrought on this formerly prosperous city. Moving through the tunnel and into the open the lead elements of the Lone Wolf's team rolled up to a sprawling factory complex. The sound of small arms fire could be heard echoing through the structure of the Traxis Industries facility. That along with the freshly dead Covenant around the entrance attested to the efficiency of the Spartan II and his Elite partner.

"All right, let's exploit the opening the Chief has given us," Mike called out. "Let's head down the bank into the lake bed and get into this fight." He pointed Matt who was driving the lead Warthog to turn right and follow a bumpy path down from the factory and into what had once been a healthy lake teaming with aquatic life. The Covenant dig the last several weeks had drained it of all water leaving only the sun-bleached carcasses and bones of dead sea life. The specter was lost on those preparing to be engaged as Covenant forces could be seen moving rapidly from the dig site east of their location to stop the human attackers. Terrell opened fire with the LAAG on their Warthog shredding the small Covenant defensive force trying to hold a perimeter around the factory for help to arrive. But already the invaders defenses were crumbling as the sound of explosions and increased small arms fire emanated from the factory causing the small Covenant blocking for to choose who to fight. The Wolf Pack gave them no opportunity for choice taking the fight to them. With Matt driving aggressively and Mike firing at targets of opportunity out of the passenger side and Terrell's blazing fire the defenders broke and ran. A second Warthog driven by Maia with Adam in the passenger seat and Alissa on the Vulcan pushed off to the right of the lead 'hog sweeping everything aside. The transport vehicles carrying the ODST Wolverines pulled up to the lip of the lake bed and disgorged their eager passengers led by Gunny MacGregor. Charging down the dry dirt slop into the bottom of the bed the Helljumpers ruthlessly eliminated anything that was missed by the Spartans. In short order they'd broken the Covenant line forcing them to fall back in disarray at the same time the Master Chief's team had broken resistance in the factory. Retreating Covenant from both locations literally bumped into each other creating a target-rich environment for the UNSC forces looking for revenge. Grunts and Jackals were cut down like grass while Brutes sacrificed dozens to save themselves giving a brief pause in action.

"Consolidate, lets ensure we have a hold on this position," Mike called out to his team signalling a halt in the advance.

"But Wolf One, look, the Master Chief is already out of the factory and taking the fight to the Covvies. We need to get in there," Matt called out in frustration.

"Wait one, Wolf Six," Mike ordered, "they have their mission we have ours. We move in disciplined bounds." The Lone Wolf then changed to AREACOMM. "Reaper Actual, this is Wolf Pack. Are you prepared to hold this pos so we can move to the next bound, over."

"Roger that, Wolf Pack. We're good to go and have your back. The door in is secured. Happy hunting," the commander of the lead element of Marines confirmed as they pushed into position and began to set up to hold.

"You hear that Wolf Pack? Let's go!" Mike bellowed. Tapping Matt on the shoulder the aggressive assaulter needed no other encouragement. With a whoop he punched the accelerator of the Warthog and pressed forward.

The second Warthog and Wolverines on foot moved to get into the fight. Seeing the Master Chief and his team controlling things to the left he set a series of waypoints to the front and right, marking two Covenant AA guns.

"Here's our immediate objective. We push through the defensive screen and take out those two guns I've marked. That's our rally point. We'll take right, Hog 2 left, Wolverines blanket us. Let's envelope them. Full attack, lets roll over these bastards like a wave."

The rest needed no other prompting.

Pressing forward aggressively they were finally met with concentrated Covenant resistance. The invaders vigorously fought to hold their ground this time, not willing to cede anything. Two Ghost Rapid Assault Vehicles joined the Brute-led counter attack and stopped the human advance cold. Plasma splashes hit Mike's Warthog causing damage but Matt deftly moved the heavy vehicle out of the way while Terrell nimbly changed positions to bring fire to bear on the lead Ghost. He connected with a flurry of armor-piercing slugs causing it to explode. The other Covenant vehicle zoomed past and instead went after the OST Wolverines coming up behind the Spartan team. Matt was too focused on the Ghosts and too late heard the familiar _whoosh_ of an incoming plasmas mortar round. The burly assaulter did try to get out of the way but the round from an approaching Wraith clipped the Warthog causing an explosion that flipped it into a triple spin. Terrell was thrown clear and Mike jumped out but Matt was pinned in the driver's seat. With Mike covering, the team's machine gunner went and pulled his stunned teammate out of the vehicle and to safety. While Matt was unhurt, he was groggy and didn't seem to have all his faculties so Terrell began to drag him to the rear of the assault. Immediately a pair of ODSTs from the Wolverines covered the withdrawal.

The Wraith had turned its attention to the remaining Warthog while the original Ghost joined by another was wreaking havoc on the ODSTs. The Covenant tank had to pull in closer to get a shorter shot and that made it vulnerable. Maia was able to skillfully maneuver out of the cone of fire of the tank while Mike began to pepper it with assault rifle fire. The Wraith pulled and turned trying to get a line on the Warthog or at least drop a round on the Spartan but each were able to annoyingly move easily before the slow-moving mortar rounds connected. In fact, twice the Spartans were able to move in such a way that Covenant troops were hit instead. The Brute driving could be heard to bellow in rage at the mistake. It was a last thing the shaggy Jiralhanae did as an ODST Wolverine hit the Wraith with a direct hit from a M41 SNPKR rocket launcher.

The tables now turned with the invader's armor gone. Alissa nailed one of the Ghosts with a stream of fire from the Warthog's LAAG and Mike took the other one out with a skillfully tossed grenade that was led perfectly sending the Grunt driver flying. Though there was a still a squad of Brutes between the Warthog, Mike and the Wolverines they were driven off. While this had been going on Marine forces along with the Master Chief had destroyed a series of Covenant AA guns. The mission was unfolding well thus far.

Resistance was broken for the moment but Mike could see the Covenant forces starting to regroup. Still, it was a successful effort with several AA guns destroyed and a firm foothold in the lake bed for the UNSC forces.

Maia drove up and nimbly hopped out of the Warthog.

"Nice driving," Mike commented, a happy note in his voice as he saw Matt coming back under his own steam.

"Just doing my job," the quiet teen said with a shrug though she did make the side V sign on the faceplate of her helmet which indicated a smile.

"All forces, hold up and consolidate for next phase of attack," Mike called out over the comms getting back to business. Despite everything going through his mind he couldn't help but be pleased with himself and the maturity he was showing as a leader. No longer was he the Lone Wolf, his legacy was now one of cool confidence under pressure. He switched the layers of radio communications to the general AREACOMM to get a sense of what was going on in the broader fight. Several times Natalia's voice came clearly through as he heard her giving reports and moving troops around. Pride swelled within him for the woman he loved. Part of him desperately wanted to say something to her but he knew he couldn't

A naval officer gave an update on what was happening overall. "All Brute cruisers are pulling back to Truth's ship. Winds inside the storm just hit 200 kilometers per hour. Energy cascades all over the artifact!"

Radio conversation died down a bit at that news as Covenant forces in the area seemed to be reorganizing before the naval element continued their reports.

"Admiral, a single Covenant ship has slipped in-system!" Commander Keyes noted with a sense of alarm

"Just one?" Lord Hood responded immediately. "What's its range and disposition?"

"Above the artifact, inside the orbital line. Seems to be holding steady."

"The attack proceeds as planned, commander," Hood declared. "We're not going to get another shot at Truth."

"Sir. Yes, sir," Commander Keyes answered. She switched to the command channel on the ground. "You heard the admiral, clear that last battery of guns and open that lane. They're coming in hot."

"Let's go people," Mike ordered. "One last push and we've got this."

The Arbiter and Master Chief were already in action as the rest of the Special Operations troops pushed out from their position. The Covenant forces that had appeared to be rallying now seemed content to give ground as if waiting for something. Other than the guards at the guns the rest of the invaders seemed to be pulling back towards the massive Forerunner artefact that was the center of attention. In short order there was only one target remaining in the lane the UNSC forces were opening up for the Navy. With the Wolf Pack and Master Chief all coming to bear the defenders were overwhelmed in under five minutes. The Master Chief then deftly tossed several grenades at the gun.

The last of the three-legged AA gun in the sector exploded with a blue flame, sending the upper section flying down the cliff as a plume of black smoke rose in the air. The Master Chief and the Arbiter moved to stand on the cliff side of the crater on the hill of the recently destroyed anti-aircraft emplacement. Mike and the Wolf Pack walk up to join them after eliminating the last Covenant resistance in the area. The rest of the alien defenders were in full retreat back to the massive structure. There was no bravado or congratulations, rather a sense of anticipation looking back at the bodies of dead Marines and ODSTs. Each knew though it was a price needed to be paid to get to this point.

Any moments of reflection were lost when the skies opened up and in shrieked multiple squadrons of Longsword fighters streaking overhead, followed closely by three UNSC Frigates which entered atmosphere, including the _Forward Unto Dawn_, Lord Hood's flagship. The Covenant fleet before them seemed caught off guard and merely hovered in place, not responding. The main target for the UNSC attack was the Forerunner Dreadnought below the invader's fleet at the center of The Artifact.

Lord Hood's distinct voice came over all comm channels. "All ships: fire at will!"

All the frigates engaged the Forerunner Dreadnought with their MAC guns. The capital ship's Magnetic Accelerator Cannons discharged in volleys, coating the Dreadnought's surface in explosions.

"Yea, that's the way!" Matt yelled out, pumping his fist in the air as a spontaneous cheer went up for those watching the scene.

As the smoke and dust from the full-on attack dissipated though it was clear the alien ship remains unscathed.

"What? No, that can't be!" Alissa moaned as the others stood in stunned silence at the absolute futility of the attack and the cost to launch it.

The Forerunner structure began to hum and light up as it started to open like a starfish. The Dreadnought began to lower into the structure and at the same point a narrow blue energy beam began to shoot out of it and up into the sky. Lightning from all the electric energy began to dance all over the surface of the structure several kilometers in diameter as the beam of light grew thicker and the hum intensified and expanded finally sending out a massive shockwave of pure energy. The beam spread throughout the area and everything in its wake soon was blacked out.

The Spartans of the Wolf Pack and Master Chief all had their energy shields drained of power. Each reflexively moved into a defensive position ready for a counter attack but it never came. It didn't need to. The Covenant had achieved their goal and didn't need to continue to fight in the conventional sense.

A large glowing sphere of blue light soon appeared from the structure, centered by pitch darkness, in the sky above the artifact. The vessels of both UNSC and Covenant fleets were drifting disorganized in the air, which seemed to indicate they'd lost navigational control showing the EMP-like energy surge had been air-born as well.

Comms came back on line and Lord Hood was heard to say with a cough, "What did Truth just do? Did he activate the rings?"

"No, sir. But he certainly did something," Commander Keyes was heard to reply.

The Arbiter roared angrily in frustration while Alissa swore as the Forerunner Dreadnought began to rise safely into the sphere in the air. Once that happened it was followed in close order by the rest of the Covenant fleet who seemed to have control restored. They made no effort and showed no interest in the nearby UNSC fleet instead turning their noses up and flying into the massive sphere of blue light. The human attackers now seemed insignificant.

The event was not lost on the human command element.

"Evac wounded and regroup," Lord Hood ordered. "Wherever Truth went-"

A naval officer cut him off. "Sir, new contact - slipping in!"

A damaged Covenant CCS-class Battlecruiser emerged from a flash slipspace opening in atmosphere just to the east of Voi, hurtling just over the heads of those watching causing many to involuntarily duck. Smoking with rancid fumes, the air was darkened and smog rose from it veiling the sun. The ship quickly lost altitude and crashed to the ground out of sight with a flash of light. For a few moments there was silence then a strange, deep rumbling like the sound of thousands of small feet scurrying could heard. It was as if an omen of ancient evil was in the air.

"What is it?" the Arbiter exclaimed, ready to fight. "More Brutes?"

The Master Chief dropped his helmeted head in reflection and replied, "Worse."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

**November 27, 2552, 1730****hrs**,** Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

"What do you mean 'worse'?" Mike asked, noting Master Chief's tone.

"It's the Flood," Chief answered, gripping his assault rifle more firmly.

"Okay, what's the Flood?"

"The Flood is a parasite. I fought it on Halo," Chief stated. "It infects and transforms anything living in its path into a mindless creature in a matter of seconds."

"The Flood is capable of devouring a whole continent in a matter of days," The Arbiter added in his deep bass voice. "They are like locusts. Their singular desire is the destruction of everything they face. If they are not contained they will consume your whole planet."

Mike didn't know what to say, the news stunned him. Alissa let out an audible gasp of surprise as she processed the information.

To emphasize the point Commander Keyes came over the general comm. "The Flood - it's spreading, all over the city."

Lord Hood cut in. "How do we contain it?"

"Find the crashed Flood ship; overload its engine core," Commander Keyes declared. "We either destroy this city, or risk losing the entire planet."

"Did she just say 'or risk losing the planet'?" Matt asked incredulously.

"Do it," Lord Hood ordered.

"Chief, make your way to the crash site," Commander Keyes ordered, the sense of urgency thick in her voice.

"All right Chief, we'll help get you there," Mike declared. "Wolf Pack, Wolverines, saddle up, new mission." He'd face all matter of foe and was having trouble processing what he'd heard. He didn't doubt the truth of what the two warriors were saying but to imagine any creature with that kind of destructive force was just something he struggled to picture.

To the right of the special operations party two Marines were visible on a cliff edge in the distance. Suddenly they began trying to fight off several grotesque sinewy beasts with deformed appendages.

"Oh my god, what's that?" Matt said, his voice showing fear for the first time in as long as anyone knew him.

"That's the Flood…a combat form it's called," Chief answered.

They watched as the Flood overran and mutated the two Marines into more Combat Forms. To punctuate the point hundreds of greenish meter to a meter-and-a-half tall bulbous creatures with multiple tentacles surged past and towards the human defensive line.

"Infection forms!" Master Chief called out. "Don't let them touch you or you transform into what we just saw." The Spartan supersoldier opened fire with his assault rifle and surged forward in the direction of the crashed ship that had unleashed this fury. Thel 'Vadam roared and followed in his wake.

"Wolverines, fall back and defend the rear, Wolf Pack, with me, we're going to help Master Chief get to the crash site and overload that engine," Mike ordered charging after the Spartan II.

The ODST Wolverines retreated in disciplined bounds. Their effective fire was able to keep the tip of the Flood spear at bay but already a number of less-disciplined Marines went down and quickly evolved into a mindless enemy. They in turn began to add to the number of the new invaders bent on consuming everything in their path.

Most of the UNSC troops tried to scramble out of the way and most field discipline went out the window as survival instinct kicked in. Small groups of Marines did rally to hold the Flood at bay but it was not enough. Others were able to do fighting retreats to strong points in the hope of holding off the attack. Everywhere though, alien and human alike entered quickly into a battle for survival. In some cases, UNSC and Covenant troops found themselves fighting together against the more lethal threat. Yet try as those who stood their ground might, there was nothing that would stop the number and hunger of the surging Flood who were spreading over not only the battlefield but also into the city of Voi.

While everyone else was trying to get out of the way, Mike and the Wolf Pack stayed in tight formation, supporting the Master Chief as he sliced through the Flood coming the opposite way moving towards the center of the creature's advance.

Fortunately, the new threat seemed to have no organizational structure so the more disciplined human assault was able to move through the initial wave fairly easily. The ones that did show any interest in the Spartans and their Elite companion were quickly dispatched. Luckily for the Spartans the bulbous creatures known as Infection Forms were fairly easy to destroy. Only a couple of bullets from their weapons was enough to cause them to pop. They didn't face any more of the more dangerous Combat Forms which made maintaining momentum easy. The issue that loomed though was not killing the new invader but the sheer number. While easy to kill they seemed to relentlessly come non-stop. Terrell swept his GPMG back and forth and the others covered their arcs pushing forward. The Master Chief was a whirlwind of destruction firing his assault rifle in disciplined bursts while the Arbiter had switched to his energy sword and was deftly cutting through the creatures like he was slicing wheat. They were making good progress and had momentum but the sheer weight of Flood coming against them threatened to stop their advance short before they reached their objective. No Spartan or their Sangheili ally wanted to know what happened if they slowed down or were forced to stop.

Back in the rear area, not far from the tunnel and factory complex the UNSC forces had stormed through to begin their assault on the Covenant position at Voi was the rear element of the attack. Logistics troops scurried about in resupply and support functions. Trucks full of ammunition and other needed supplies for the assault sat with engines running waiting to move in and fulfil their task. A field hospital from a medical battalion was set up and already dealing with the wounded who were coming out of the fight only a couple of kilometers away. It was a well-orchestrated dance that supported the main element fighting to open the door for the Navy assault that had just taken place. A cordon of Marines provided security towards the front to ensure the rear echelon elements including the senior command team, were protected.

Yet in many ways they should have looked to the rear for the real threat.

A Middle Eastern man with hard eyes and close-cropped black hair hopped out of the supply truck he'd jumped on to in the staging area to the front. Though the olive drab BDUs he wore had no identifying markings on them none paid attention as the effort to keep the battle going kept everyone focused. The ONI assassin had keyed in his location and gotten the approximate location of the target from Admiral Parangosky's Smart AI Black Box before hitching a ride to the front. A new picture of his target had been sent on to his communication device and his order to kill Natalia Misriah without prejudice had been confirmed. He'd gotten the green light and would use the cover of the human's desperate fight for survival going on to his advantage to slip past the distracted UNSC troops, kill his target and slip back out. No one would see it coming. This was a favorite scenario for the skilled operative. He didn't think much of the politics of the day or what he was doing, this was merely business.

The assassin carried a Magnum pistol in a holster on his hip with a silencer in his utility pouch plus a series of knives and several vials containing a variety of poisons. The seasoned killer was prepared for a different type of combat.

There was a general din in the area as the results of the UNSC Navy attack on the Covenant position were assessed. Earlier cheers had turned to audible groans as the lack of success of the desperate mission became evident.

Now there was a new buzz coming up from the various logistics personnel but this was of little interest to the man who saw the growing confusion as an opportunity to easily accomplish his mission and get our unseen. That was his specialty in fact, his was a singular focus.

The assassin knew his target had been placed with the senior command element, as a controller, so knew he'd find her in the operations center. He easily spotted the large Bobcat mobile command center and knew she'd be inside. It would be tricky but this wouldn't be his hardest kill ever. In fact, the challenge was motivating to him. The experienced operative moved nonchalantly to within thirty meters and paused as if assessing a pile of crates holding field rations. All the time though his gaze was at the vehicle putting his plan together. There were a pair of Marine sentries standing outside who seemed to be getting increasingly nervous looking down the side of the large vehicle as if waiting for a threat when to him they should have been looking to the rear.

_Good_, he thought to himself, _they're distracted. This is going to be easier than I thought._ Part of the man was disappointed it wouldn't be as much of a challenge but the professional in him knew that this was business, not a personal hunting expedition.

Plan finalized, the assassin put his hand loosely into his utility pouch and onto the suppressor and began walking casually towards the vehicle.

"What, the Flood, here?" Colonel Steele exclaimed in shocked surprise at the area command center as he received the chilling report of what had been on the recently arrived Covenant ship.

"Wait, you know what this is?" the operations officer asked, starting to see on the monitors in the command center the destructive force of the new threat and not believing his eyes.

"Yea, I was briefed in on it right before Earth was attacked," the officer stated, looking at the video feed from an overhead drone.

"But what is it?" Major Grant persisted.

"No time for that, you'll find out soon enough," the Marine full colonel responded grimly. "We've got to lock this place down, now."

Natalia heard the exchange as she was sitting right beside the two senior officers. A chill went up her spine as she saw swarms of the bulbous creatures surging towards the M6A1 Bobcat Command Vehicle they were in on one of the video monitors at her station.

"Sergeant," Colonel Steele called to the Marine guard standing just inside the entrance, "shut the door and button us up, now."

"But sir, what about all the guys outside?" the senior NCO asked as a number of Marines ran towards the large armored vehicle seeking shelter.

"No time! Do it now!" the colonel barked urgently. "Or there won't be any one of us left."

The delay was almost fatal. The sergeant just got the ramp up and sealed the command vehicle seconds before the surprisingly fast-moving creatures surged all over it. The leadership team inside watched in horror the feed from the exterior cameras as the security detail protecting them was swiftly overtaken by the Flood and transformed just as fast into Combat Forms. Those who'd sworn only minutes before to lay down their lives for those inside were now mindlessly clawing and scraping at the door and any opening trying to get in.

"What do we do, sir?" Natalia asked in horror, not able to take her eyes off of the screen. She immediately thought about Mike and was hopeful his armor would protect him from this parasite. Yet deep down she doubted it.

"Not much," Colonel Steele responded with a shrug, "we have to wait it out."

"Can't we drive out?" a Marine lieutenant asked fearfully.

"No, the outriggers are engaged," the senior officer replied, "we wouldn't get far. Best is we hunker down and wait it out. Put out a distress signal."

There was nothing else they could do.

Mike and the Wolf Pack had been moving well with the Master Chief and his Sangheili companion. Thus far they'd been able to move steadily towards the crash site of the infected Covenant ship. The path wasn't hard to figure out since a cloud of oily smoke rose into the sky from it. The problem was the closer they got the more the Flood coming against them from it they faced. Though not difficult to kill their numbers and erratic movement patterns made it difficult to move with any pace. So rather than move at a trot to their objective like they'd wanted the operators were forced to move at a halting walk.

The seasoned combat veteran wondered again just how fast these creatures reproduced since there seemed to be an unending supply of them. That was a question though Mike didn't have time for. The fight was right in front of him and it was relentless in pace.

Almost immediately after the crash distress calls and cries for backup were heard on the AREACOMM of the UNSC forces. They'd been totally unprepared for this new assault and some were having trouble adjusting to it. Units and subunits were urgently calling for assistance yet it seemed everyone was in the same position. Then one distress call caught Mike's attention.

"This is Impact Main, we are totally surrounded and unable to move," a radio operator called out urgently. "Request immediate support from any available station, over!"

"Natalia!" Mike whispered to himself for he knew the call sign for Colonel Steele and the command element. She was with him as part of his operations staff. For a moment he hesitated and thought to leave and help but he knew his mission. He continued to run and gun but now with an increased intensity. All the hopes he'd had came crashing down as the call was repeated and he knew there was no one to help the unprotected command group. It looked like he wasn't going to get his happy ending after all.

The ONI assassin was caught off guard when the ramp to the Bobcat command vehicle began to rise up to close faster than usual. He picked up his pace, figuring out how to take out the guards at the entrance but before he got there the pair fled in the opposite direction in panic rather than jump in the armored vehicle. That gave the seasoned veteran a moment of pause but he also saw his window of opportunity literally closing in front of his. He broke into a run and in one smooth motion pulled his Magnum out. There was no time to put the suppressor on so this was not going to be as professional as he'd liked. Sloppy or not, he needed to get the job done, his reputation was on the line. Raising the high-powered pistol, he prepared to draw a bead on his target who he knew where she would be from the schematic he'd memorized and get off the one shot he'd get. He was confident that was all he'd need and then he'd be able to use the unexpected chaos to slip away.

The assassin was too late.

A step-and-a-half from the vehicle the ramp closed and the pneumatic seal engaged with a _hiss_. Nothing was getting in there until those inside wanted them too. The assassin wondered if his quarry had been tipped off and had gotten the vehicle sealed before-hand but that didn't make sense. There was security outside the vehicle and likely inside too. The conundrum of what happened caused a rare moment of distraction that proved fatal. The hitman didn't quite catch the strange sound that was growing closer until it was too late. Turning to face the sound a tidal wave of Flood Infection Forms surged into the rear area. It was a testimony to the sharpness of his reflexes that the man was able to bring his Magnum up and drill one of the Flood before the others enveloped him. When the bulbous creatures moved on the assassin had forgotten his mission forever and ran off as a mindless Combat Form oblivious as to who he was and what his mission had been.

Mike had fought every form of Covenant in some of the most pitched battles of the war. He'd seen everything over the years as a Spartan but nothing had prepared him for the Flood. Their sheer numbers and mindless bent of destruction were wearing down even his resolve. Wave after wave kept coming at them and while few were Combat Forms at this point still the mindboggling number of Infection Forms made movement extremely slow. It seemed to be becoming a matter of mathematical probability. The Master Chief's mission of trying to stem the tide of this threat was beginning to bog down and a decision had to be made.

"Chief, you and the Arbiter carry on," Mike declared without fanfare. "We'll hold here and create as much of a buffer zone as we can. We'll try to buy you some time. Get the job done."

"Roger that," Chief responded without emotion, knowing what the Spartan III was telling him. He knew that this man and his team were prepared to give their life so his mission would succeed. "Good luck."

"May the gods be with you, warrior," the Arbiter declared in appreciation for his former human foes.

"And you too," Mike responded genuinely. "I'm glad we got the chance to serve together."

Master Chief and the Arbiter steadily pushed on towards the downed infected ship.

"Wolf Pack," Mike called out, "Form line, time to push back!"

"Wolf Pack!" the teens bellowed in response. Not one questioned the order or flinched at the implication of it. Never had Mike been prouder.

Time was lost on them as the Spartan team fought aggressively and used the new inevitability to push back against the threat. They began to get into a good rhythm against this erratic foe and were able to buy the Master Chief and Arbiter precious time. It was a testimony to discipline and teamwork that held them together against the impossible odds they faced.

Unfortunately, as hard as the Wolf Pack and their leader fought it was like trying to catch water coming out of a fire hose. The numbers and inevitability of their situation became overwhelming. Their time of counterattack was short-lived and now they found themselves being pushed back.

"Sir, we're about to be overrun," Adam called out urgently. There was no sense of panic from the teen who'd struggled so much with the Brutes. In fact, the thoughtful teen was in a peaceful state.

Mike had known this was coming and had already been contemplating their next move. He took a moment to assess the situation and then the grim reality became more than evident.

"Wolf Pack, form Buzzsaw!" the Lone Wolf ordered.

There was a slight pause as each of the teen Spartans took a nanosecond to process the order and the implications of it before swinging into action. Then, training kicked in and each moved into position.

The 'Buzzsaw' was a purely defensive tactic where a team would circle up around a heavy weapon to inflict as much damage as possible while making their last stand. Terrell was the point with his GPMG while Alissa slid in behind him switching to her Magnum. Matt went to one side of the machine gunner, Adam on the other. Maia went beside Matt and Mike, Adam. They fluidly moved into a tight circle with Alissa in the center covering Terrell. He then opened fired with his GPMG walking slowly in a clockwise circular motion with the others moving and firing in one synchronous movement. It was an extremely intricate maneuver that Spartans practiced rarely since their nature was to not be in a position where they were completely defensive. So, the reality of how smoothly and quickly they were able to get into this complex position was a testimony to their ability and discipline. Like a scythe the six Spartans in the circle began to move around and around in one fluid motion as one. If anyone had been watching they'd have been impressed by how well the move was executed and how effective it had been.

"Reload!" Terrell called out as he anticipated the end of the belt of ammo he was about to burn through.

Alissa already had one out and ready to go when the last linked round went out which Terrell grabbed in one fluid motion and slapped into place. Barely had the rate of fire stopped during the change out. Again, a testimony to discipline considering the distractions and threat all around them.

The Flood attack on the Spartans was checked by the sheer volume of fire coming out on a continuous 360-degree circle. Reloads were all choreographed for maintenance of fire making this an impressive spectacle. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of attackers rising to the challenge and inevitability of ammo limitations for the Spartans made for a certain unavoidable outcome. It was not a matter of if, but when. Still, it was an impressive spectacle, one worthy of the history books if there was ever going to be anyone around to write it.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

**November 27, 2552, 1855****hrs**,** Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

The command team inside the M6A1 Bobcat watched in horror the carnage going on around them. There were no longer any humans in the proximity of the rear area of the recent UNSC assault. All had either fled or been consumed by the aptly-named Flood. Overhead surveillance feeds on other parts of the battlefield showed there were still pockets of resistance and in some cases humans and Covenant were fighting together to try to hold off the new and greater threat. Immediately outside the command vehicle Flood Combat Forms banged relentlessly trying to beat and claw their way inside the 12 ½ tonne vehicle. Though the armor plating was thick enough that no sound was heard, watching the ferocity of the creatures with greenish-gray decaying skin and armed with mutated appendages caused those inside to shudder. A number based on their size were likely former Brutes but most were the friends and colleagues of those inside.

The driver had tried to get them out of the area but the outriggers on the sides that had acted as stabilizers had only dug in and caused the heavy vehicle to bore into the soft ground of the former lake. They were stuck.

"Hang tight people," Colonel Steele ordered for the fourth time in fifteen minutes as the party inside became increasingly scared.

"That's right, help is on the way," Major Grant, the XO added to try to encourage the jumpy group.

"There's no one out there, everyone else is gone!" an S-6 supply lieutenant cried out.

"What are we going to do?" another desperately added.

"Get a grip," the XO shot back, becoming frustrated.

The increasingly heated exchange was lost on Natalia. She remained at her station flipping through the few live feeds remaining. Tear streamed down her face not for her own situation but for Mike and what was happening to him. She saw the grotesque creatures outside and knew they were former UNSC and Covenant personnel. She'd watched in horror the transformation of several earlier as it was happening before turning away. Since she'd fallen in love with Mike and given herself to him the idea that he might die had always been with her. He was a Spartan and at the front of the fight so she'd reconciled herself to that. Then to see this new abomination and to think the love of her life was wandering around mindlessly like this was more than she could bear. She didn't want to live anymore; death was welcome after all this. To come so far, to give herself fully to him, there was only one other way left and that didn't seem likely to happen.

No, death was welcome.

Natalia felt the weight of the Magnum pistol on her hip and wondered if she had the courage to do it. So rather than go farther with that thought, instead she sat in gridlock, crying, not caring who saw or what they thought.

Truth be known, no one was paying attention to the woman who'd just joined the command team, all were in their own state of misery or contemplation.

"We've got to get out of here," a female logistics sergeant adding her voice to the din. "When that Covvie ship goes up we're done."

"This vehicle has amalgamated polymer lattice, five layers of alternating titanium and AEGIS plates, coated with extreme temperature resilient Kevlar," Major Grant retorted confidently, his annoyance at the staff starting to show.

"But is it enough to withstand the detonation of that ship's reactor?" the NCO persisted. "You heard the order. Master Chief is going to blow it."

"If he makes it that far, you see those things out there?" another questioned dismissively.

"He's the Master Chief, he's faced them before and won."

"Little help for us," the forlorn lieutenant moaned.

"Pipe down!" Colonel Steele ordered. "You're Marines, get refocused. What do we have at our disposal?"

"20mm cannon is bingo ammo, sir," the vehicle's gunner replied.

"Aurora laser is down too, battery is burned out," the electronic warfare officer reported. "Spares are all in the supply truck."

"Any other point-defense weapons up?" the area commander asked knowing the answer already but forcing himself to ask.

"No sir, all are down. Same state."

A quiet murmur went up from the twenty other members of the command team inside the armored vehicle as the commanding officer looked over at his XO. The three remaining infanteers from the security detail looked on angrily but with no outlet.

It was Natalia who saw it first. Initially she didn't quite figure it out in her grief and focus elsewhere, but the highest cameras on the Bobcat were picking up some type of combat going on moving towards them.

"Sir," she called out, "you want to see this!"

The cavalry had arrived.

"Come on, me lads, push through these bastards!" Gunny MacGregor called above the noise of battle leading the way, SMG firing short bursts. The Wolverines were there.

The seasoned NCO had taken command of the Wolverines earlier in the day when both Captain McLynn and his 2ic had gone down wounded. When the ODSTs and Wolf Pack had separated he'd taken to heart Mike's order to fall back and protect the rear. Thus far it had gone well. As they neared the staging area it was pretty clear there were no human survivors and so had plotted a safer course out of the theatre. Then he'd received the distress call from the command element. The long-serving veteran had weighed the cost of answering but then realized Natalia was part of that group. He wasn't sure anyone was going to last through this but he knew he had to do something to help out the woman who his commander and friend loved. He'd pushed the Wolverines into the fight.

The Helljumpers moved in disciplined bounds staying within their fireteams. Assault rifle and SMG fire was concentrated on Flood Infection and Combat forms that surged towards the ODSTs sensing fresh meat. These humans though were not so easily overwhelmed. While initially caught off guard the seasoned fighters pushed forward with grim determination. Anger at the wanton destruction by this new foe drove them into the fight.

Still, the sheer volume of the highly aggressive Flood and their total lack of interest in self-preservation checked the initial success of the Helljumpers. They were stopped cold by the relentless press of new swarms of Infection Forms who hungrily lashed out with their tentacles looking for fresh hosts. To the horror of their teammates several of the ODSTs on the outer edge of the UNSC scrum were caught and pulled away. Moments later they arose as mindless Combat Forms bent on destroying those who earlier they would have gladly given their lives for.

"Tighten up the formation!" Gunny MacGregor ordered seeing the danger. Sadly, the enraged troopers were forced to destroy their former mates. "Don't let them get close."

"Gunny, we can't break through," a lance corporal called out urgently. "Maybe we should pull back."

The seasoned NCO did a quick shoulder check to confirm what he already knew. They were surrounded. Still, he had no regret for the choice he made and knew none with him did either. "Death or glory, me lads," the man called out, never prouder.

"Feet first into Hell!" the remnants of the platoon called out.

Inside the Bobcat the occupants could see the same problem developing that Gunny MacGregor had already figured out.

"We need to go out and help them!" Natalia declared jumping up and drawing her magnum, voice loud with adrenaline.

"Right on, get us in the fight," a Marine guard shouted, battle rifle at the ready.

"I'm not going out there with those things, no way," a logistics officer shouted back.

A short argument ensued.

"No one's going anywhere," Colonel Steele's voice boomed over the fray. "If we open up they get in here and we're all dead."

"But sir, we have to do something," Natalia stated, voice dropping as tears filled her eyes. "They came to help us. We can't just leave them to die."

"Nothing we can do but pray for them," the area commander said, his voice becoming thick with emotion.

Outside the situation was getting worse. Two more ODSTs went down to the Flood assault and had to be shot by their mates. By now many were openly weeping for the fallen but that made the Helljumpers fight even harder.

Small arms fire to the left of the UNSC forces caused a pause in the Flood assault as a new threat was assessed. Yet this was not human small arms fire. Purplish pink crystalline shards flew through the air shredding a dozen Flood Infection Forms while searing plasma bolts took down a number of Combat Forms. Eight Sangheili warriors came to the crest of the hill and began an overwhelming fire with needlers and Covenant carbines.

Rather than try to engage the beleaguered humans the Elites focused exclusively on the Flood. Moving aggressively in disciplined bounds the warriors maintained a withering and high rate of fire. Moving in a diamond formation one switched to his energy sword to take care of those who got too close. Moving the lethal weapon in efficient sweeping arcs the Elite was able to keep the Flood who got too close off his teammates. The development allowed the ODSTs of the Wolverines who'd been stuck to re-engage and begin to aggressively press forward again to the trapped command vehicle. Infection Forms tried everything they could to break the fighter's cordons but the discipline of each group would not break. More Flood surged into the area but all that did was fill the killing area between the two former foes.

Though their numbers were high the Flood were caught between two determined attackers and between the human and Elite forces they were able to not only stem the tide but push the parasites back. The groups patiently thinned out the parasite force and then systematically destroyed every last one in the area and suddenly the humans were free and clear. Several of the Helljumpers instinctively brought their weapons to bear on the Elites expecting attack but that was not to be this day.

With a salute, the head of the Sangheili team waved to the ODSTs who stood looking in stunned disbelief then turned and with the rest of his party charged after the retreating Flood.

"Well I'll be damned," Gunny MacGregor said in stunned disbelief as the remnants of the Wolverines easily dispatched the remaining Flood in the area who trickled back in. Never had he thought one he'd hated so much would save his life. He then looked up and realized there were several new Covenant ships overhead he'd not noticed. This day was getting stranger by the minute.

As MacGregor and the Wolverines drama was unfolding, in another part of the dried-out lake and remnant of the Covenant dig the Wolf Pack was in their own desperate fight with no relief in sight.

"Last belt!" Terrell called out urgently to the rest. Unaware and uncaring what was going on elsewhere the Wolf Pack were fighting for their lives. Though it had only been about fifteen minutes it had felt like fifteen hours. All knew when the GPMG went down they were finished; they'd just not have enough firepower to keep the Flood tide at bay.

"Matt, I don't want to become one of those things," the usually unflappable machine gunner confessed with a note of fear in his voice to his original teammate from Camp Currahee.

"Don't worry T," Matt answered. "I won't let that happen to you or any of us. I'll do you myself."

"None of that talk," Mike ordered. "Stay focused, we fight to the end. No one gives up."

"But what about when we run out of ammo?" Adam asked, firing controlled bursts at a pair of Infection Forms. "I'm down to two mags."

"One step at a time," Mike stated definitively though he himself couldn't see a way out. His stubbornness wouldn't allow him to consider the inevitability of their situation. Still, the time was coming soon it would become something more to consider.

As each were beginning to consider their own fate the sky overhead opened up and three Covenant CCS-class Battlecruisers flew in formation as an Assault Carrier sliced overhead coming out of Slipspace. The unexpected turn of events seemed to create a pause even with the Flood as all watched a number of Phantom drop ships arrive, dropping off Elite reinforcements who started to engage the Flood.

"What the hell?" Matt asked, stunned by the development.

"Stay focus, this isn't over!" Mike barked. "But this might be an opportunity for us."

Yet the arrival of the Covenant ships turned the tide of battle for the Spartans. Whether they'd grown tired of the determination of the supersoldiers or sensed more and fresh prey, the Flood began to pull back and then drift away as Terrell ran through the last round for his GPMG and was about to switch to his pistol for the last stand. While several dozen Infection Forms lingered, they were easily blown away by the combined fire of the remainder of the team. Against all odds it looked like they'd survived for the moment.

"What now, sir?" Adam asked.

"I'm not sure," Mike answered honestly. "We've lost contact with the Master Chief. We'll assume he's still on mission. Let's gather ammo and start moving back. If he makes it to that ship and blows its reactor…well, we don't want to be close when that happens."

The rest could fill in the gaps. None wanted to be around when that happened.

Back at the command base and rear area the ODSTs of the Wolverines were continuing to mop up the area. Several that had lost friends to the Flood continued to fight though through tear-filled eyes. Inside the Bobcat many including Natalia were weeping openly as they watched helplessly on the monitors the Helljumpers sacrificing themselves to save the trapped command element.

"Thanks for the assist, gunny," Colonel Steele thanked the Helljumper genuinely after the command element was certain the area was safe and had opened the ramp on the Bobcat. "We were done if you hadn't showed up."

"Ach, twas nothin', sir," the senior NCO replied in his thick Scottish brogue humbly. "Right place at the right time."

"Well, regardless, I'm glad you were in our place at this time, we were stuck," the area commander commented. Then the man turned to another Marine working on the Bobcat. "Outriggers up, corporal?"

"Yes sir," the Marine confirmed. "Up and locked in. We're good to go anytime you say the word."

"Excellent, prep to move. Gunny, if you and your team would provide escort, I'd appreciate it," Colonel Steele requested.

"Happy to, sir," MacGregor confirmed and gave a wave to the Wolverines that were with him then he spotted Natalia just outside the massive armored vehicle getting some fresh air.

"Hello, missy," the ODST said walking over towards her.

"Thanks for helping us out, gunny," Natalia said, giving him a hug and not caring about protocol. "I don't know what we would have done," she added with a shudder.

"Nasty bastards, ain't they?" the senior NCO commented, a bit embarrassed.

"I've never seen anything before like it," the woman who was still getting used to combat answered honestly.

"Well, there may be lots of them but they're easy enough to kill," the seasoned combat veteran declared, trying to sound confident and mask his own concern for what they'd just faced."

"Do you know what's happening with Mike?" Natalia blurted out suddenly, unable to contain her feeling of dread.

"No, I don't," MacGregor confessed, tone becoming somber. "We left them a few klicks from here. They're Spartans, I'm sure they'll be okay," the season veteran said without confidence looking around at the piles of dead Flood.

"I know…I just…," Natalia began but was cut off by a communications override.

"Attention any UNSC personnel remaining in the Voi Theatre of Operations. Withdraw as soon and as fast as you are able," Commander Keyes called our urgently over the open channel for the area. "Immediate aerial bombardment is about to commence. I repeat, evacuate the area."

"What?" Natalia asked, the order confusing to her after what they'd just gone through. What could be worse?

"We go now!" Colonel Steele yelled understanding the intent as he looked at the newly arrived Covenant ships overhead. "Gunny, get your people on or in the Bobcat we've got to move!"

Marines and ODSTs scrambled into position as the Bobcat's engine roared and it began to move even though the loading ramp was still down.

"What the hell does she mean by immediate aerial bombardment?" Matt asked several kilometers away, confused by the transmission they'd all heard since it had gone out to all stations.

"I don't know, but it doesn't sound good," Terrell answered.

"We gotta go now!" Mike called out urgently, something forming in his mind. Though they had a respite from the Flood another idea developed.

"But…," Adam stammered.

Alissa was scanning the area on overwatch and then looked up at the Covenant ships. "Oh God…"

"Run!" Mike yelled.

The others needed no prompting as they all seemed to get the gist of the order they'd all received. The Spartans sprinted at top speed towards the tunnel they'd fought through earlier in the day. With their power-assisted armor they were able to move extraordinarily fast but would it be fast enough?

As those who could ran for their lives, the Elite-crewed ships moved into position to do what needed to be done to control the Flood infestation that was already starting to spread in all directions, consuming the city of Voi and moving out from there. The large crafts settled into a low placement in atmosphere. With a hum that increased in intensity a low-range aerial bombardment from the two battlecruisers from the _Fleet of Retribution_ began with their heavy plasma weapons. Focusing plasma through a magnetic envelope from their Energy Projector located on the underside of the ships, the two battlecruisers began discharging the plasma as a narrow beam. Blue turning to purple to fiery orange to a yellow-orange superheated charge, once making contact with the surface it began to envelope everything in its wake. The narrow plasma lances were guided towards the surface by the ship's computers striking an area and converting the top soil and other surface geology into a mineral called lechatelierite, similar to glass.

While this was going on, the Forerunner Portal opened and a blue energy stream from their tips to the open Slipspace portal drifting ominously above the construct started up. While this would have a significance for the future, at the moment it was lost on the severity of what was going on. Voi and the surrounding area was being glassed.

**November 27, 2552, 1055****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"Sir, there's been a development," the Smart AI Niccolo appeared at the side of Spanner Misriah's desk.

"What's happening?" the billionaire industrialist asked the avatar of a Renaissance era gentleman. The head of Misriah Armory had been trying to work but all morning had been consumed by the latest updates on the campaign around Voi. His Smart AI had been tapping into communications and video feeds to give the man the latest. He'd been following his daughter's whereabouts and also Mike's now. He'd read and forgotten the latest production stats and could care less about the quarterly profit projections. His heart had soared when the UNSC forces had taken down the Covenant air defense grip and Lord Hood's fleet had attacked. Then it sank when the Forerunner artefact came to life. Then fear had gripped him as the Flood-laden ship crashed and unleashed the parasite. Niccolo had explained what it was and his fear had only grown. So, for the last while he'd been waiting for this update.

"Nothing good, sir," Niccolo confessed, a look of concern on his translucent face which the observant businessman caught.

"What is it Niccolo?" Spanner asked. "Is there an update on Natalia?"

"In a general sense, yes." The Smart AI stated. They were both aware of the rescue of the command party by the Wolverines. Niccolo had even been able to get a few shots of Natalia and some garbled audio footage.

"Then what is it?"

"Three Covenant capital ships came out of slipspace a short time ago and they've begun glassing the area," Niccolo reported.

"Oh my god," Spanner choked out, "and Natalia?"

"I don't know sir. All electronics went down when the bombardment started. I have no status on her or anyone else in that part of East Africa."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

**November 28, 2552, 1305****hrs**,** Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

__The surface area of Voi and surrounding the city was dead. It was devoid of any life. To the UNSC ships that hovered tensely near the Covenant ships who'd finished their bombardment earlier in the evening, from their orbit the area was now simply a series of grays, blacks, and reds. Everything on the surface was charred and the air littered with ash and dust. The ash and material left behind from the glassing which looked like semi-translucent obsidian had a strange beauty to it to anyone who was an impartial observer. It was often misunderstood that the glassing process would render a world completely smooth. This was not the case. In the former city of Voi the internal superstructure of many of the largest buildings could be found poking out of the "glass". Voi was no more.

Night had fallen, though in the distance the red-orange glow of the cooling plasma could be seen on the horizon. The air temperature was hotter than usual as well, a byproduct of that evening's bombardment. Still, the Flood infestation had been wiped out. For those in the rest of the world they could breathe a collective sigh of relief. For those in East Africa the emotions were more mixed. Anyone who'd been part of the Flood attack would have nightmares about the deadly parasites yet would also have others about being part of a glassing.

The sun had risen the next day brilliant orange and despite being fall it was going to be hot.

UNSC personnel were gathering at an impromptu rally point just over ten kilometers from the outer edge of the field of glass centered around Voi. Reorganization and movement further away would happen later in the day and well into the next day but for now the exhausted troops needed rest and some form of replenishment. They'd travelled throughout the night and into the early morning to escape the spreading lava-like field that had been spreading until it finally settled. Most had lost friends and colleagues who'd been consumed in the molten field who'd not been fast enough or had suffered a vehicle breakdown. There would be time to mourn the dead, now was the time to thank God they were alive and take stock.

Mike and the rest of the Wolf Pack were still doubled over with fatigue. They'd run all night, the last ones out of the blast zone. Their power-assisted armor had allowed them to escape from danger and as the night wore on pass others not so fortunate. After the initial bombardment they'd been forced to use their internal air supply in the Mjolnir. All were only minutes away from using up their 90-minute supply when they'd broken out of the vortex that had sucked all the oxygen out of the air. Their armor was climate-controlled and shielded against radiation and EMP bursts so they were protected, which was more than they could say for who knows how many others. Still, they had to run, literally, for their lives and they had. There was no cheering at their escape, no bravado. They were just happy to be alive. Survivor guilt would come later, but for now each just tried to catch their breath.

Now in East Africa, those who'd escaped the Elite ships glassing of Voi and area to eliminate the Flood threat didn't know this but fighting on Earth had essentially ceased, the Battle of Earth had ended with the departure of the Prophet of Truth's fleet through the Portal the previous day. While there were still some battles going on in other parts of world with the departure of the main fleet and the Civil War erupting within the Covenant nothing was left other than a mopping up action.

For the first time in hours Mike took the opportunity to think about something other than his own survival. He'd been on basic instincts since they'd started their flight from the glassing but now, safe, his mind moved immediately to one place. The elation of survival was beginning to turn to the foreboding of something he'd kept out of his mind but now couldn't even if he'd wanted.

What happened to Natalia?

He'd left her in the rear area the previous day, safe, the Spartan had thought. It felt like a week since so much had gone on. With the Flood release he knew nowhere was safe in the whole Voi theatre of operations. As embittered as he was at the glassing, he also in his heart knew it was probably the only way for the ultimate survival of humanity. He'd seen Marines, ODSTs and Covenant personnel all turned into grotesque Flood Combat Forms. The image of what he'd seen gave him an involuntary shudder. The idea that his beautiful, gorgeous Natalia could be turned into one of those zombie-like creatures made him want to retch. The idea that she was dead and he was alive was the cruelest of thoughts, after everything he'd done to stay alive the last number of hours now, he wondered if it would be better for him to be dead. Once again, the old darkness began to creep in, the small voice began to whisper that none of this was worth anything, the idea that he could have happiness was ludicrous, that he was nothing more than a tool of the state. Condemnation built and the idea of returning to the Lone Wolf began to rise. There would be no legacy for him other than what he could do with an assault rifle. It had all been for naught.

"Mike?"

The Lone Wolf was starting to creep back in and he didn't hear his name called. He wondered what the point was, if any of this was all worth it, opening his heart, starting to care, just to have it destroyed.

"Mike!"

The voice this time was more emphatic, more urgent and in the fog of his fatigue and misery he realized who it was.

Natalia was alive.

He turned just as she ran into him at full force. The impact caused her to bounce off his armor but he nimbly grabbed hold of her, almost crushing her ribs in an embrace. She tried to speak but he wouldn't let her. Instead he picked her up and brought her to his mouth. He hungrily kissed her which she willingly returned. Salty tears mixed with their kiss, making it that much sweeter. They broke the kiss and he held on to her, holding her a half foot off the ground, not wanting to let her go.

Then, embarrassed as others were watching, he put her down and could only stare.

"I thought you were…." Mike couldn't even finish the thought; it made his stomach sick.

"I thought you were too…." Natalia had the same thought. "I was afraid you were gone…or were one of those…"

"Me too!"

Both laughed at the realization of just how in synch they were. Then Mike did something he'd wanted to do for a long time but had been afraid. He consciously pulled the woman he loved in close and just held on to her, not caring what others thought. Despite his bulky armor he could 'feel' her body next to his and everything was right with the world.

The rest of the Wolf Pack surged in to congratulate their commander and share in the moment. All had seen enough death and destruction for a lifetime so the simple act of seeing two happy and in love filled some of their emptiness. They'd been through much with her going back to their rescue of the woman on Mars so seeing her again cheat death as they had just done filled them with an elation that allowed them to forget the misery of the moment and volume of loss.

"Come on, let's give them some space," Alissa finally declared, herding the others away.

As Mike and Natalia lost themselves in each other and the possibilities of what the future held, the teenage Spartans began to excitedly share their thoughts on what had happened as the reality there was no immediate threat sunk in.

"Dude, I puked twice in my helmet during the run out," Matt declared almost proudly.

"Eww…," Maia responded in disgust, crinkling up her nose. "That's disgusting! Too much information" she added playfully.

"Yea man, I thought my lungs were going to explode," Terrell agreed, the intensity of the previous twenty-four hours bleeding away. "But the Wolf got us out of it," the machine gunner declared with a note of admiration.

"He did," Adam agreed. Getting reflective at the fact he never really did overcome his hesitation with Brutes he added, "you all did well out there."

"WE all did well," Alissa corrected her teammate, coming over and throwing an arm around his shoulder. "We're family. We're all in this together and we all got each other out of it."

"You're right, we are," Matt declared, becoming suddenly serious. "I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else."

"Me either," Maia declared as Terrell grinned and embraced the others.

"You're right. And we did do well, didn't we?" Adam stated, happiness returning. Then a thought struck him, "I wonder what happened to the Master Chief? He never did blow the reactor of that Covvie ship carrying the Flood."

"I don't know," Terrell said with a shrug, "he and the hingehead he was with seemed to have disappeared."

"I hope he's okay," Maia said, a note of sadness evident in her voice.

"Okay? Are you kidding?" Alissa retorted. "He's the Master Chief."

**November 28, 2552, 1515****hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth**

"Sir, Natalia is safe," the Smart AI Niccolo broke into the meeting Spanner Misriah was having, knowing he would approve.

The billionaire industrialist's chest heaved and he dropped he head down and began to sob openly. The executives in the room smiled and shared their congratulations. None thought less of the man, in fact each of them was growing in admiration for one who'd been starting to show a side of himself the past two month's none had seen before. For one who'd led through fear before this was having the impact of wanting each to work harder for the company's success. He was aware of the battle going on at Voi and then of the release of the Flood which he'd had some knowledge of.

He'd also known Natalia was there.

"Did you not hear me sir?" the Smart AI whose avatar was that of a Renaissance-era gentleman, asked in confusion, "Your daughter is fine."

"Yes, I heard Niccolo," Spanner said with a chuckle, taking a fine linen handkerchief and drying his eyes. "This is the sight of relief."

The others in the room burst into laughter as the tension that had existed in the room previous to the announcement disappeared.

"I never will understand your kind," the Smart AI replied in obvious confusion.

This brought out a louder round of laughter from all who were there, another thing previously unheard of on the executive floor of the corporate head office. This was another sign things were changing in Misriah Armory.

**November 28, 2552, 1543****hrs**,** Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

Natalia had been released from duties by Colonel Steele who was happy to see Mike and hear that his team was well. Mike then heard how Gunny MacGregor and the Wolverines had rescued them. Immediately he went to find the ODST senior NCO and the remnants of his command.

MacGregor was looking after some of his Helljumpers and had his back to the pair who approached them. Without a word Mike went and grabbed the man in a bear hug.

"What the...?" MacGregor tried to squirm out, then saw it was Mike.

Mike released him and the gunnery sergeant returned it when he saw who it was, the emotions of the moment bubbling over.

"You're alive!" he declared excitedly in his thick Scottish brogue. Then, his face clouded and he asked, "and the bairns?"

"We all got out gunny, everyone's good."

"Thank God!" the tough Helljumper cried out as tears filled his eyes.

Mike then looked around and realized that the senior NCO was standing with all that was left of the Wolverines. The elation of the moment was lost and intense sadness blanketed his joy.

"Hank…thank you…," Mike choked out as the realized the cost of saving his beloved, "I can't…I don't know what to say…" he began to stammer as the cost set in. "If you hadn't Natalia would be dead…but...but…"

"Don't Mike," MacGregor stopped him, literally putting hand up. "Every one of us would do it again."

"But the cost…," Mike tried to protest.

"Was worth it," MacGregor declared definitively

"You saved my life and everyone else in the command team," Natalia stated, putting her hand on his arm.

They'd had this conversation before the run out to escape the glassing but seeing Mike's reaction brought from the privileged woman a greater depth of feeling. All her life she'd had people do things for her; it had happened so often it had become second nature. She'd been appreciative but also in a bit of shock. She now realized the sacrifice that had been made and tears filled her eyes. Leaving the pair, Natalia went over to where the remainder of the Wolverines were resting. She then did something that shocked each of the Helljumpers, she personally and genuinely thanked each one individually. The name 'Misriah' nor the ONI uniform didn't bias any, each knew who she was and how much she meant to Mike. Natalia showed anew that she was a different woman.

"Quite the girl you got there," MacGregor declared as he watched what she was doing.

"Isn't she?" Mike responded a look of contentment on his face, the heaviness that had grown being covered by the thoughtful gesture.

Mike and Natalia would talk about this later but now not was the time. After seeing to the needs of his team and the Wolf Pack he began to wander through the camp checking to see who was still alive and what assets they had. While everyone there seemed to know the Flood threat was gone as was the Covenant in the area none really knew that the war was effectively over. So, the seasoned veteran was still thinking ahead to the potential combat readiness of the force that had moved into Voi the previous day. Natalia tagged along with him since she had nothing else to do plus, she didn't want to let him out of her sight considering all they'd gone through.

Despite all the destruction and loss of life Natalia had a contentment and peace that she couldn't really understand. Yet in her heart she did, even if her mind wouldn't allow it. She and Mike were alive, they loved each other and it seemed even they may have some sort of future together.

And then she saw Melanie.

The Spartan scout was standing with another short-haired female Spartan Natalia had never seen before. The two were in conversation but seemed to sense the pairs presence so turned to look at Mike and Natalia. Melanie's eyes narrowed at the sight of Natalia bur she seemed relaxed.

Mike walked over to greet the pair and check in, not realizing Natalia was frozen where she stood and couldn't move.

After the trio greeted each other Melanie asked with obvious concern, "Your team all make it out okay?"

"Yea, they did. They're all good. Thanks for asking," Mike answered, still trying to figure out what was up with the woman he realized he'd never really been able to figure out. "They're just over there," he gestured, "they'll be happy to know you're good. I'm sure they'd like to see you."

"Okay, I might be able to make it over," Melanie replied non-commitally, a sparkle in her eye that matched the sparkle coming off her nose stud in the sun, "I have a pretty full calendar right now."

Mike shook his head in amused disbelief. "Somethings different about you Mel. What's up?"

"You're right but no offense Michael, it's none of your business," the enigmatic woman answered firmly but without malice.

Mike couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, I get it. You take care of yourself, you too Dani."

"Yea, no worries Mike,": Dani said with her trademark smirk, "you know I always do." She put her hand on Melanie's back, leaned in and said. "Let's go, we've got things to do."

Mike watched the pair move away and felt a lightness of heart that was foreign to him. He realized Natalia was staring at him intently from a short distance away, not having moved in to join the conversation.

"Is everything okay?" she asked pointedly, eyes probing to see if there was any change in heart.

"Couldn't be better," Mike replied, reaching down and kissing her on the cheek which caused the woman's face to explode in a smile. "Come on, we have our own things to do," he took her hand and led her away.

**November 28, 2552, 1750h****rs, "The Hive", HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-Six, Sydney, Australia, Planet Earth**

Captain Osman was making her report on the aftermath of the battle for East Africa. All reports confirmed the Flood had been eradicated, humanity took a collective breath of relief. Margaret Parangosky was largely uninterested in the report since she'd already perused most of the raw data earlier in the day. This was more of an exercise in what her protégé thought was important enough to share. The aide-de-camp began to go over unit returns and casualty numbers and then the head of ONI perked up. Suddenly there was vital unconfirmed information she sought.

"And what of the state of our people?" the admiral asked.

"We had no resources in the area, ma'am," Captain Osman replied, a note of confusion in her voice for the question.

"Yes, we did," Parangosky contradicted. "Lt. Commander Misriah was there."

"She was?" the aide asked in obvious surprise.

"Yes."

"I wasn't aware of that, admiral. I thought she was still in New Mombasa with the rest of our personnel there," Osman responded, not trying to hide the irritation in her voice at the obvious change in plans she hadn't been privy too.

"Her status?" Parangosky asked, ignoring the statement.

"Unknown, ma'am."

"Very well, you can leave now," the admiral dismissed her with a wave.

"But ma'am, there's more to report," Osman protested.

"It can wait since it's not going to make any difference," Parangosky stated. "We've won, the Flood are gone, nothing else matters."

Serin Osman looked at her and said nothing more. With a salute she wheeled about and walked out hoping she'd masked her frustration sufficiently.

Once alone the admiral locked down her office.

"Black Box"

"Here, admiral," the Smart AI appeared on the right side of CINCONI's desk.

"Misriah?" Parangosky asked, knowing the Smart AI had been monitoring the conversation so would know what she was asking.

"She's alive admiral," Black Box stated with no tone in its voice.

"And the Spartan?"

"Mike B312 is alive as well," the blue lit cube responded. "Both were able to escape the Covenant bombardment and are in our forces rally point between Voi and New Mombasa."

Parangosky sighed audibly in irritation, not able to hide her reaction. "What happened to my asset?"

"I don't know," Black Box answered matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" the admiral declared, coming forward in her high back leather chair.

"Just that. The Flood strike meant there was very little video, data or voice transmitting going on during the time. In addition, most everything went down in the EMP burst. People were engaged in more important things like trying to survive," the Smart AI stated pointedly. "The asset is in no record or return, there is no recording or communications post-Flood or glassing from him. My assessment is he was lost at some point during."

Admiral Parangosky's eyes narrowed and she looked at the cube floating over her desk for a long moment. The head of ONI, who was always thinking one step ahead, steepled her fingers and went into deep contemplation. The Smart AI said nothing, hovering in place. It knew it's master was contemplating and planning through the unexpected announcements.

Finally, with a nod as if to say her resolution was in place Margaret Parangosky stated definitively, "So be it. Natalia Misriah seems to have the fates on her side. I guess she will get her 'happily ever after' after all. Purge all systems of anything to do with this operation."

"So, you're just going to let her live after all you've been doing to the contrary?" Black Box asked, with a note of surprise.

No one other than the Smart AI could likely have made that statement and lived.

"Yes, Black Box," Parangosky said with a smirk, pleased she could confuse the AI who often put on the airs of being wiser than she. "The world is a changing place and it's time to move on to other things. Make sure there's no record of this whole operation of the asset anywhere in any of our on-book and off-book systems."

"Done," the Smart AI stated, gladly having purged all records of the sordid affair. "I never will get you humans," Black Box declared.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

**March 3, 2553, 1100****hrs**,** Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth**

It had taken another several weeks for hostilities on Earth to wrap up and by mid-December in space but the human-Covenant war was over. It took nearly another month of humanity holding its collective breath before they believed in really was over. The remnants of the Covenant broke into a civil war that no one save a few on Earth cared about.

It was time to move on.

Early in the year the UN made a formal statement thanking the UNSC for their handling of the war effort and also thanking them for responding to Spartan human rights issue. By this point no one really cared. The human spirit, resilient to the end, was interested not in looking back but in looking forward. After decades of tension, loss and war it was time for other things. There were many lessons learned that would come out over time but for now people just wanted to breath. In a surprise move, UN Secretary General Ruth Charet was elected as President of the Unified Earth Government.

But not everyone was ready to move on.

A ceremony presided over by Fleet Admiral Lord Hood was held where a monument had been erected in Africa on the Kenyan Savannah near Voi and in sight of Mount Kilimanjaro to officially mark the end of the Human-Covenant war, and in remembrance of those who gave their lives in the war.

The dedication was set up and hosted by Hood, the highest-ranking naval officer in the UNSC. Besides a number of Marines attending its official opening the ceremony included a delegation of Elites including the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and several other Sangheili. Representing humanity were ONI Commander-in-Chief Admiral Margaret Parangosky, Captain Serin Osman, CPO Franklin Mendez, as well as the surviving SPARTAN-IIs.

One controversy was that no members of the UNSC Army were present at the ceremony due to the Marines feeling that they had fought most of the war and did not participate in the climactic Battle of Installation 00. This was despite the fact that the UNSC Army fought on a multitude of colony worlds. It seemed the politics of war still prevailed even in peace.

Mike and the Wolf Pack were a bit late to arrive as their Pelican had been delayed, yet present they were, resplendent in their dress uniforms.

"Hey Pete, good to see you," Mike went over and greeted Gunnery Sergeant Stacker who was in charge of the Marine honor guard.

"Good to see you too, sir," Stacker replied. "What do you hear?"

"Probably the same untrue rumors you do," Mike replied with a chuckle.

"Hellova a thing, that we really did make it through, huh?" the ODST Helljumper stated shaking his head.

"You're right," Mike replied, nodding his head in agreement. "We sure went through some hard times."

"That we did," the senior NCO replied, then seeing the protocol officer in charge of the ceremony giving him a hard look said, "Guess I better get back to work, it's almost show time."

The ODST moved back to his detail and Mike returned to his team to take his place with the others. It was then he had the opportunity to really look at the memorial being dedicated this day.

The memorial took the form of the wing of a Pelican dropship. There had apparently been much debate about the form the monument should take and several had lobbied for something grander but in the end everyone there agreed it was fitting in its simplicity. On it was an inscription stating the official end of the Human-Covenant war which read: '_In memory of those fallen in the defense of Earth and her colonies. March 3, 2553'_. The UNSCDF insignia was set above the dedication, and the foot of the memorial was already covered with photographs, weapons, caps, and other personal effects of the fallen defenders of humankind by those who'd already made the pilgrimage to the site. Scratched into the memorial by someone could plainly be seen the number "117," with the insignia of a Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy taped below it, a permanent dedication to Spartan John-117, whose tireless efforts were key to the UNSC's victory, yet who, in accordance with Office of Naval Intelligence policy, was listed as Missing In Action. The protocol officer had already gone after the Spartans to find out who'd defaced the monument which of course each in turn denied knowing anything about but everyone else there agreed it was a fitting addition.

"Parade, stand at-ten-tion!" Gunnery Sergeant Stacker barked.

On a hillside near the portal to the Ark, the Marines and Naval personnel gathered came to attention. Lord Hood moved to the top of the memorial, removed his cap, and began to speak.

"For us, the storm has passed... the war is over," the fleet commander declared, trying to keep his voice calm as dozens of faces and names flooded into his mind. "But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten."

The admiral puts his forge cap back on, and saluted.

Gunnery Sergeant Stacker turned to his detail. "Pre-sent arms!"

Seven Marines, standing in a line, drew their battle rifles up to their shoulders and without any further words of command fired three volleys in unison, a twenty-one-gun salute to the fallen. The sound of the shots echoed through to Mount Kilimanjaro.

The Arbiter left his group and the others and walked up to the monument, looking at the tribute to the Master Chief reflectively.

"I remember how this war started. What your kind did to mine. I can't forgive you," Lord Hood stated bitterly, but then his eyes moistened and his tone changed. "But...," he held out is his hand, "you have my thanks, for standing by him to the end."

Thel Vadam shook Admiral Hood's hand and both turned and looked at the monument.

"I'll be damned," Matt stated under his breath from where the rest stood, watching the display.

"Never thought I'd see that," Alissa added.

"It's a brave new world," Maia said quietly.

Admiral Hood was oblivious to the murmur below, reflecting instead on the 117 scratched on the memorial. "Hard to believe he's dead."

The Arbiter looked away, toward his ship the _Shadow of Intent_, hovering silently in the sky. "Were it so easy...," he replied in his gravelly voice.

The pair stood there for a few moments longer and then it was over. With a nod to Gunny Stacker Admiral Hood walked down and towards his entourage.

"Parade, dis-missed!"

Groups split up to make connections with old friends or to come to the monument and silently say goodbye. Mike went back to Stacker and talked to him briefly while the Wolf Pack took the opportunity to meet some of the Spartan II's present, treating them like idols with star-crossed teenagers, which in reality they were. It would be easy to forget to the uninformed observer that the III's were in fact still teenagers and the bigger Spartans not that far removed. Already, though, society was moving on from the uncomfortable reality of what had been thought a necessity of the war effort. The politics of what happened was lost on the teens as they had the opportunity to meet their heroes.

The dynamic was also lost on Mike who'd seen his old training instructor from Camp Currahee at the ceremony so wanted to reconnect with him. Unfortunately, he was intercepted by a less welcome well-wisher.

"Commander," Admiral Margaret Parangosky acknowledged him with a nod, coming to stand in front of him.

"Ma'am," Mike responded stiffly with a salute.

The scheming head of the Office of Naval Intelligence returned the salute then said," Well done out there, my congratulations." Parangosky then stated, "I was following your progress throughout the campaign. You have a bright future of service."

"Thank you, ma'am," Mike stated, the hairs on his neck standing up. He bet she'd been following him. All he wanted to do was reach down and throttle the woman he knew had been meddling in his life. "Have a good day." He saluted her and walked away.

"Good to see you again, sir," Chief Mendez came up and saluted after observing the short but tense exchange.

"You too, chief," Mike returned the salute and then offered his hand which the two shook.

"I heard the next time you saw me one-on-one after Currahee you were going to kill me," the training senior NCO from Onyx stated with a chuckle.

"Yea, I guess I did say that, didn't I?" Mike responded, remembering the man who'd tormented him as a child and who he'd hated but whose methods he'd come to appreciate over the years.

"Well, I probably deserved it the way I treated you all," Mendez stated unapologetically.

"Probably," Mike deadpanned.

"Sorry about Noble Team, they were good people," Mendez stated, voice choking.

"Thanks," Mike answered, his eyes unexpectedly welling up with tears. "They were." The power of the emotion at the recollection caught him off guard.

"I'm damned proud of you Mike. What you did with the Wolf Pack….," his voice trailed off and his eyes filled with tears as well. "I was hard on you…too hard…it was unfair in many ways…you were just kids…"

"You did what you had to do chief. It was war. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Thank you."

Mendez nodded his head several times in appreciation, not able to say anything though he sniffled loudly. Then, composing himself he said, "I hear you got yourself a lady friend, good for you." He slapped him hard on the arm.

Before Mike could reply, the rest of the Wolf Pack broke protocol to come in and talk to the senior NCO who not only tormented them but formed them into who they were. It was a happy reunion that would carry over into drinks that night.

Mike turned and walked away from the excited chatter to get away. He went to the summit of the ridge and looked over the glassed city and region of Voi. It was hard to believe it was only three months ago. It felt so much longer. The war was over and suddenly he wasn't so sure of what he would do. He'd been fighting almost his whole life, that was all that he knew.

It now wasn't ALL he knew.

Natalia had released from the military and had gone to work for Misriah Armory which was already starting to pivot parts of its business away from military production to take advantage of the anticipated boom in civilian demand. She was working out of the Australia division in Sydney which suited him just fine since the Wolf Pack and most other Special Operations units were stationed there at Bravo-Six awaiting the decision of what to do next. Peace would likely be short-lived since already some of the former insurrectionist colonies that had survived the war were starting to squawk again plus with the breakup of the Covenant smaller alien pockets were starting to flex their power on a more regional basis. The prospect of movement from a galactic conflict to more regional ones was a distinct possibility. It seemed peace was still a hard thing to acquire, but that could wait for another time. For the moment, as long as it lasted, the sweet taste of harmony was being tasted. Already some were declaring a state of boredom, showing the short attention span and fickleness at times of humanity.

That meditation was for another time.

For now, Mike was enjoying the fruit of the opportunity to fully explore his relationship with Natalia. He'd experienced things he never thought possible and was happier than he thought he deserved. The Spartan had reconnected with his former Noble Teammate Jun and the two had a great time catching up.

"Jun!" Mike called out in delighted surprise, as he saw the tall, bald headed former sniper striding towards him at the Hive.

"Nice to see you, Wolf," the former Noble Team member declared honestly as the two embraced as brothers.

"I've been following your exploits, you've been kicking ass," Jun stated with a note of admiration.

"And I've not heard anything about you," Mike replied, an edge to his voice that was unintentional yet revealed an underlying tension.

Jun shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Not much I could do about that. ONI got a hold of me and I was reassigned. I suspect you know a little bit about that."

"You're right," Mike chuckled, understanding the point.

"A lot's gone on since we left Reach," Jun stated, becoming more somber.

"You saved my life out there, don't think I forgot that," Mike said, intensity growing as he remembered what he thought was his last stand before the last member of Noble Team came and got him out.

Jun shrugged again nonchalantly. "You don't leave a brother behind."

_Brother,_ Mike thought to himself. _I really have come a long way._

The two stood in silence for a moment. Those who were in break room where the Spartans were meeting though giving a wide berth also looked at the two legends with unabashed awe and respect.

"I hear you reconnected with that Misriah woman on Mars," Jun asked, changing the subject.

"I did. We're in love," Mike declared staring at his former teammate to see his reaction.

"Love, huh?" Jun responded to the foreign concept. Good on you, Wolf," he added without prejudice.

"Thanks. It's been pretty confusing at times but I might just get the hang of it one of these days," Mike stated, his heart filling with joy.

The observant Spartan saw that and was genuinely happy for the man. "So other than trying to figure out the love game, what are you up to now?"

"Just taking it one day at a time," Mike replied happy to be in a position that the only thing that had a sense of urgency was living life to the full.

The former sniper then shared with him the new Spartan project he was working on and had invited Mike to join him. He'd declined, he had no interest in the manipulation of minds or bodies anymore no matter who was leading or how good their intention. No, he was on a different path, his legacy was heading in a different direction and he couldn't be happier.

Natalia's father had been there in Africa when they'd first been pulled back to a restaging area. It spoke to his influence and power that he was able to move freely in and out of what was supposed to be a secure military facility.

"Natalia!" he called out urgently, breaking away from his security detail to run to his beloved daughter.

"Daddy!" she called back and ran to him.

Mike had enjoyed watching the reunion of father and daughter though it had caused his heart to ache a bit as he missed his own family, something that hadn't been on his mind for years. He then thought of a similar reunion in New York when they'd gotten out of Mars and bitterness at the difference in their positions began to involuntarily well up.

But then something happened that changed another element of the Spartan's legacy.

Still holding his daughter, the powerful billionaire industrialist reached out an arm and said, "Come here son."

_Son. _Mike stood stunned for a moment, immobile, not wanting to believe what he'd heard. While before on Mars he'd saved Natalia's life in Africa he'd done nothing to help her, the man owed her nothing. Yet the look on the man who by the world's standards had everything said that not only did he want more, but was wanting to give more.

"Come here, Mike," Natalia added, a sense of urgency to her voice, waving him over to join the pair.

So, Mike Nantz moved in and accepted the embrace of the Misriah's and felt like he finally belonged somewhere.

"I'm so glad you both made it out," Spanner Misriah choked, and embraced the two harder.

In that moment, the orphan finally felt part of something beyond his place in the military machine. Yes, he had his 'family' in the Wolf Pack but this gave the promise of something more, something deeper. The Lone Wolf felt as if he might have the opportunity to be part of something more meaningful. Accepting the embrace of the woman he loved and her father despite his bulky armor he knew there was something more.

Looking over the plains to the glassed city of Voi the man knew all would be well. With a smile, Mike Nantz knew his debt to his family's legacy had been paid in full. His father, his ancestors, had been honored and now he could begin to build a legacy of his own.

No, he made a decision there'd be no going back from.


	35. Chapter 35

**Epilogue**

**September 27, 2553, ****1425****hrs**,** New York City, New York, United States of America, Planet Earth**

"And do you, Natalia Tatiana Misriah take this man, Michael Nantz, to be your lawful wedded husband, from this day forward, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, in wealth or in poverty, as long as you both shall live?"

Mike considered the vow he'd just made and the implications it had held. He and Natalia had gone over all this in their premarital counselling, but the gravity of the declaration gave him pause for thought. He was a man of his word and had always tried to live by it. And now he was making in some ways the ultimate sacrifice, giving himself fully to another. He thought back to the previous year and all that had happened to bring him to this point. Suddenly, he had a moment of panic.

Would she say yes?

Then Mike Nantz, the Lone Wolf, who'd been fighting legacy for so long, looked over at Natalia and watched her face explode in a radiant smile, her deep, emerald green eyes moist with tears of joy and he know. He looked imposing in his dress Navy uniform, chest full of medals. He'd decided to stay in the military but now it was on his terms. Things were already changing in the UNSC when it came to the care of Spartans and that gave him a s sense of optimism, a strange, new sensation. And Natalia? She was, as expected, stunning in a white bejeweled gown with modest train.

"I do."

"So, by the powers vested in me by the state of New York," the minister officiating concluded, a happy smile on his face, "and the authority of Almighty God I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Mike and Natalia turned to each other and needed no prompting, they embraced and the kiss turned from gentle to passionate as the crowd erupted in applause.

The wedding of Natalia Misriah to the Spartan Mike Nantz had been all the talk for several months since its announcement. The news that the much-publicized socialite daughter of Spanner Misriah would marry of all people a Spartan had been titillating to some and scandalous to others. Yet to many it gave hope that one's station in life was not necessarily set and we had something to say about our destinies. The fact that this wasn't just any Spartan she was marrying but the Lone Wolf, Spartan B-312, made the story even more newsworthy. The news was an instant sensation and went viral all over the world for people who were hungry for good news after decades of war and destruction. Though some were jealous of the couple's happiness most were happy they were able to overcome all the obstacles set before them and find true love.

And true love they had.

Breaking their embrace, the two laughed as Mike picked up his new bride and twirled her around to the delight of the crowd who broke into another cheer. The couple turned to look over the happy audience. Their initial plan had been a small wedding which was a disappointment to the society and gossip pages. When Fleet Admiral Lord Hood had announced his interest in attending that all changed plus when the couple realized all the people they wanted to share their happy day with the guest list grew.

Still, the lack of audacity and scale seemed very un-Misriah but yet the head of Misriah Armory was a changed man. Though many had whispered he'd gone soft and was vulnerable now, the swift and bold takeover of two main competitors in the aftermath of the war showed he still hadn't lost his head for business. It was just his heart was now for his family.

For Natalia one of the happiest moments for her was when her mother had agreed to come to the wedding and was now starting to talk again to her father. Mother and daughter had been able to reconnect and that was precious to the girl.

The pair looked over to Natalia's mother and father sitting together and each had a new hope for if the two of them could find love, nothing was impossible. Besides Lord Hood, looking imposing in his dress uniform, there was Gunnery Sergeant MacGregor, Captain McLynn and those who remained of the Wolverines. A bureaucratic logjam in the UNSC had almost kept them from getting to the wedding but when Spanner Misriah heard about this he arranged transport and accommodations for the full complement. He'd receive no acknowledgement saying it was the 'least he could do for these genuine heroes'. Things really had changed.

In addition, Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, Chief Mendez, Jun from Noble Team and Josh Shoemaker whose simple act of kindness on Reach by fixing Natalia's broken-down armor had done so much to bring her and Mike together. Spanner Misriah had kept the promise Natalia had made and he was now in a management training program at Misriah Armory and doing remarkably well.

And then there was the Wolf Pack. They sat in the front row as Mike's 'family'. The teens looked every part of the heroes they were and enjoyed the attention of the New York press and society. All were surprised when Matt started crying in joy but each shared in the couple's moment.

The couple broke to greet their guests, Natalia going over to embrace her parents and Mike when to his 'family'.

"Wolf Pack!" Terrell yelled in a loud, clear voice.

"Ah-Whoo!" the others responded as loud as they could which elicited another thunderous round of applause from the audience.

Mike Nantz, who'd chased legacy for so long and had always felt one step away from failure accepted the embrace of his beloved team and reached out to hold the hand of his bride, who hugged her parents and it was well with his soul.

**Date and time unknown, location unknown, UNSC FFG-201 **_**Forward unto Dawn**_

The remnant of the frigate drifted out of control after the ship had jumped to slipspace just as the Halo ring fired and the portal collapsed tearing it apart. Master Chief had been floating through decks and hallways in zero gravity, helmet light on to guide him until he reached a storage area with a row of cryotubes. Finding a nearby Holotank, Chief took the datachip out of his helmet and plugged Cortana into it.

"You did it," Cortana declared in admiration as she appeared on top of the station, "Truth and the Covenant, the Flood...it's over."

"Yes, it's over," Chief agreed, stepping back from the projection unit to look at beautiful blue avatar.

"I'm glad you got to meet Michael," Cortana stated playfully, the tension of the moment melting away. "I'm glad he was promoted. It was very well deserved. I always knew there was something special about him."

"You know each other?" a startled Chief asked in his gravelly voice.

"What? You think you're the only man that's been in my life?" the blue translucent AI responded mischievously, obviously enjoying the moment.

"What?" Chief shot back aggressively.

"He's the one who saved me on Reach," Cortana explained. "You do get very focused and forgets things, John." The AI paused for dramatic effect. "We've talked about this before. Are you jealous of our special relationship?"

"Cortana," Chief said sternly.

"You never let me have any fun," Cortana said

Master Chief chuckled and shook his head at the one he'd become so close with. On closer examination, maybe he was jealous.

"Humanity will be in good hands until you return," Cortana stated genuinely to the Master Chief. "Now time to go to sleep, it's finished."

The Master Chief looked around, turned off the flashlight on his helmet and said in agreement, "It's finished."

The legendary Spartan supersoldier placed his assault rifle into one of the racks on the wall then prepared to enter one of the cryotubes.

"I'll drop a beacon," Cortana said, looking at the Master Chief as if taking in every detail. "But it'll be a while before anyone finds us, years, even."

Chief stoically nodded his head in understanding but said nothing. Then settling in the cryotube door began to close.

"I'll miss you," Cortana confessed honestly, a look of affection on her face.

"Wake me. When you need me," John-117 declared, prepared for a much-needed rest, his legacy secured for all time.

**THE END**

Author's Note: Stories like this take a lot of patience to craft and become a bit of a labor of love. Through the grind of it all it's the readers that make it worthwhile. I appreciate the many, many people all over the world who have faithfully followed this story from its beginning in early 2019 until today.

I'd like to especially thank Akira-Hayama, cannonfodder43, rylek196, Just a Crazy Man, Jakeros and bankerrtx01 who have been faithful in their encouragement and support throughout this project but it's all of you who've kept me going. Keep making history, be light in the darkness and live to the full the adventure of life. Thank you all, until we soar again.

July 11, 2020.


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